No fewer than 72,000 smallholder farmers and 16,000 agribusiness owners have accessed over N49.8 billion in financing under the Global Programme on Agricultural Finance for Agri-based Enterprises in Rural Areas (GP AgFin), funded by the German Government and implemented by GIZ.
The eight-year project focused on improving access to finance for farmers and agribusinesses by developing tools and providing training to enhance financial literacy, while also strengthening the capacity of financial institutions to better understand and support the agricultural sector.
Speaking at the close-out of the AGFIN project in Kano, the Cluster Coordinator,Transformation of Agric Food Systems (TAFS) GIZ, Dr. Andrea Ruediger, said the programme recorded significant milestones across Kano, Kaduna, and Kebbi states.
She explained that the project partnered with 11 financial institutions to develop tailored financial products for key agricultural value chains such as maize and potato, including input credit schemes designed to meet the needs of farmers and agribusinesses.
According to her, one of the major achievements of the project was addressing the long-standing challenge of limited access to finance in agriculture.
Dr. Ruediger emphasised that the financing was entirely market-driven, noting that no grants or concessional funding were involved.
She encouraged beneficiaries to continue expanding their businesses, noting that several participants had grown from small-scale operations into larger enterprises employing dozens of workers.
Dr. Ruediger further disclosed that although the AGFIN project is concluding, similar initiatives aimed at improving access to finance will continue in the region and other states, including Cross River, Oyo, and Ondo.
Also speaking, the Kano State Commissioner for Livestock Development Dr Aliyu Isah, represented by Dr. Abubakar Sani, said the state has significantly benefited from the project through empowerment and value addition across the agricultural sector.
In her remarks, the Special Adviser to the Katsina State Governor on Banking and Finance, Bilkisu Sulaiman, noted that the initiative has improved livelihoods by enhancing access to finance for agricultural expansion and strengthening financial institutions.
Other speakers at the event included Professor Abubakar Usman of the National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services (NAERLS), Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and Dr. Abiodun Ezekiel, Director of Academic Planning and Linkages at the Federal College of Agricultural Produce Technology, among others.
The AGFIN project forms part of broader efforts to promote sustainable agricultural development, improve rural livelihoods, and strengthen economic growth across Nigeria.
KHADIJAH ALIYU
