Edo farmers say RUFIN project is beneficial

Mrs. Victoria Evbue, 43, is a smallholder farmer cultivating cassava, plantain, and coco-yam in Ugboko community in Orhionmwon Local government of Edo state. Like several women in the community and other neighboring communities, access to finance is a huge challenge. Through the Rural Finance Institution Building Programme (RUFIN)- a project of the Federal Government in […]

Mrs. Victoria Evbue, 43, is a smallholder farmer cultivating cassava, plantain, and coco-yam in Ugboko community in Orhionmwon Local government of Edo state. Like several women in the community and other neighboring communities, access to finance is a huge challenge.
Through the Rural Finance Institution Building Programme (RUFIN)- a project of the Federal Government in collaboration with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) to strengthen rural farmers’ access to mcrofinance, smallholder farmers particularly women are linked to microfinance banks to expand their farming and business productivity.
Today, Victoria produces six bags of Garri weekly through lending from the cooperatives and soft loans micro finance institution active in the area.
With a bag sold at N3,000, she makes N18,000 weekly from her cassava farm.
Cecilia odege from Evbuovbiorhon community, Iyoba Ward told the reporter that the RUFIN mentored programme has help them a lot to expand their farms because they are linked to micro finance institution, which provides credit facilities they need.
Another farmer in her 50s, Ibemie Joseph, who spoke through an interpreter said at her age, only financial assistance such as this could help in her plantain, yam, and cassava production.