The Federal Government, in collaboration with the Bank of Agriculture, has distributed N2.3 million in agricultural loans to civil servants to promote agricultural development and enhance food security.
Dr. Folashade Yemi-Esan, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, presented cheques to four beneficiaries from the first batch of the Agripreneurship Training Scheme.
The scheme, aligned with the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2021-2025, aims to improve civil servants’ welfare, support retirees, and contribute to economic development.
The initiative, part of the Federal Public Service Entrepreneurship, operates under a tripartite arrangement involving the Office of the Head of Civil Service, the Public Service Institute of Nigeria, and the Bank of Agriculture.
The first batch of trainees underwent a two-week intensive training at PSIN, including hands-on experience in selected farms within Abuja.
The Managing Director of the Bank of Agriculture, Alwan Hassan, commended the initiative, highlighting the single-digit interest rate of 9% and loan repayment linked to participants’ salaries.
The Head of Service emphasized her commitment to the scheme’s effective implementation, reinforcing its alignment with the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
The program not only provides civil servants with a supplementary income window but also aids retirees in transitioning post-service, contributing to various sectors of the economy and increasing the country’s Gross Domestic Product.
The second batch of 98 participants commenced training on November 20, 2023, further expanding the reach of the Agripreneurship Scheme.
