Lavun (Niger) – The Fadama Federated Cooperatives Association (FFCA) in Niger on Tuesday inaugurated a N4.5 million Agriculture Equipment Hiring Entrepreneurship Centre (AEHE).
Alhaji Usman Kutigi, the State Fadama Project Coordinator, while inaugurating the centre at Majin Gari in Lavun Local Government Area of the state, commended the Association for the laudable feat.
“Today, Niger state Fadama family is happy to achieve another milestone of a N4.5 million brand new AEHE centre, which is also first in the country,’’ he said.
Kutigi explained that the centre was the developmental concept of the stakeholders beginning from Fadama I, II, III and additional finance.
According to him, the journey from Fadama I through Fadama III to date is an accomplishment of development lifecycle.
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“It is pertinent to know that the Fadama programme beneficiaries are now so motivated and so responsive to any Fadama proposal that they act ahead of time.
“This was clearly demonstrated by the speed of response to meet their counterpart contribution to AEHE centre funding,’’ he said
Kutigi said that the Fadama stakeholders in the state contributed N9 million against N4.5 million required for the centre.
The State Project Coordinator said that the extra fund was use to provide credit requirement for shareholders, especially women to upgrade their microenterprises.
He said that part of the fund was used to produce agricultural inputs to meet the farmers need.
Kutigi said that the credit recovery including the profit accrued forms a revolving capital for the shareholders.
He said that the FFCA would manage the centre in accordance with its business plan.
The State Project Coordinator commended the World Bank, National Fadama Coordinating Office and the Federal Government for their collaboration, transparency and accountability. (NAN)