Bank of Agric on Food security, To modify policies to lure graduates, women

Bank of Agriculture (BOA) has said its programmes for young graduates and women would be more flexible and accessible with a view to getting them involved in agricultural production.

To this end, the bank is set to revamp some of its youth-based programmes, one of which is its Youth in Agriculture Development in Nigeria (YAN) programme. The YAN programme presently attracts low interest rates as beneficiaries can now access up to N1m agric loans for a start, and also take even more instantly on repayment. A similar procedure which also applies to the women in agriculture loan scheme.

Disclosing this in Ibadan, at a workshop organized by the bank, the Executive Director, Corporate Services, Alhaji Mohammed Adamu Sambo challenged the youth in the Niger Delta region to avail themselves of the programmes targeted at the youths. This he said would be instrumental to them accessing agric loans of a minimum of up to N1million, which would serve as a massive boost to their fish farming entrepreneurial ventures.

Sambo, who was represented by the South West Zonal Manager, Idiat Titilayo Folorunsho, announced the BOA’s commitment to positively change the orientation of Nigerians towards agricultural development.

Mrs. Folorunsho, while commenting on the objectives of the workshop, was quick to explain that it was geared upbraiding the bank’s staff on existing realities and modern trends in agricultural banking such as acquiring knowledge on the fundamental principles of banking, risk identity and control measures, customer care techniques, and ICT for customer care.