Wednesday May 6, 2026
www.thenewsdesk.ng

The Federal Government has introduced a new empowerment initiative targeting smallholder farmers in Akwa Ibom State as part of efforts to strengthen food security and support agricultural production across the South-South region.

The programme, implemented under the Renewed Hope GEEP 3.0 Dry and Wet Season FarmerMoni scheme, was unveiled during a media and sensitisation event in Uyo. It is designed to support farmers engaged in oil palm, cassava, rice, fisheries, poultry, and coconut value chains.

Speaking at the event, the National Programme Manager of the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP), Mr. Hamza Baba, described the initiative as a key intervention aimed at expanding financial access and improving rural livelihoods.

He said the FarmerMoni scheme is targeted at smallholder farmers to support increased production and improved productivity, with the broader goal of enhancing food security nationwide.

The programme provides recoverable loans rather than grants, with a moratorium period of six to nine months to allow beneficiaries to invest in farming activities before repayment begins. Repayment periods are structured at three months for short-cycle crops and up to six months for longer-cycle crops.

Beneficiaries are expected to channel funds into agricultural inputs such as seeds, fertilisers, feed, fingerlings, seedlings, and basic farm infrastructure.

Baba noted that the initiative aligns with Akwa Ibom’s agricultural development framework, including ongoing investments under the state’s ARISE Agenda, such as large-scale coconut and oil palm projects, as well as equipment leasing facilities and processing infrastructure.

He added that the programme would be monitored through a digital dashboard to ensure transparency, accountability, and proper utilisation of funds.

Farmers were encouraged to use the funds responsibly and comply with repayment schedules to sustain the scheme and allow wider participation.

“Repayment is essential to ensure continuity and enable more beneficiaries to access the programme,” he said.

He also disclosed that repayments are expected to commence within 52 days after revalidation and re-registration processes are completed.

In his remarks, Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, commended the Federal Government for its interventions in the agricultural sector, noting that such initiatives were beginning to yield positive results across the country.

The governor, represented by the Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs, Princess Emem Ibanga, said the state government was complementing federal efforts through the provision of farm inputs and agricultural machinery to support local farmers.

*Vanguard