AGRA and Traders Association Distribute Grinding Machines to 20 Women Farmers’ Groups in Niger State
From Our Reporter
A total of 20 Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) groups in Niger State have received grain processing machines in recognition of their outstanding performance.
This initiative was facilitated by the National Association of Nigerian Traders (NANTS) under the Niger State/AGRA consortium. The project is titled “Improving Farmer Resilience and Upscaling Productivity, Income, and Livelihood in Rice, Maize, Soybean, Cowpea, and Vegetable Value Chains in Niger State.”
Dr. Ken Ukaoha, President of NANTS, praised the VSLA groups for their exceptional ability to pool funds, attend meetings, and maintain effective registration. He highlighted that the women-dominated VSLA groups stood out for their remarkable administrative skills.
“We are impressed by the performance of these VSLA groups, and we believe that rewarding them will encourage others to follow their example,” he stated. Dr. Ukaoha also noted that this recognition is expected to boost the morale of the VSLA groups and motivate them to continue their commendable work.
According to him, the project, which began three years ago, has successfully created over 2,000 VSLAs in the state, alongside mobilizing and monitoring these groups. He commended the state government for providing an enabling environment for the initiative to thrive.
In his remarks, Alhaji Musa Bawa-Bosso, the Commissioner for Agriculture in Niger State, affirmed the state’s commitment to reducing poverty through job creation for smallholder farmers.
Mr. Godswill Agwuyi, Programme Officer of AGRA, advised the beneficiaries to make full use of the machines and to ensure that their cooperatives develop further cooperatives.
Additionally, Alhaji Shehu Galadima, Chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) in Niger, commended the AGRA/Niger consortium project and urged women cooperatives to take advantage of the governor’s agricultural revolution.
Mrs. Rhoda Tsado from the Victory Cooperative expressed her gratitude to AGRA for their assistance in improving their lives. “Through this project, our cooperatives have been able to save money, and members can borrow and repay as needed,” she said.
The VSLA program aims to empower rural communities, especially women, by providing opportunities to save and access credit facilities.
