The Matawalle Empowerment and Development Foundation (MEDF) has empowered 500 farmers in Toto Local Government Area (LGA) of Nasarawa State with a N16 million grant to boost agricultural production.
Mr Mohammed Lawal, Coordinator of the empowerment programme, made the symbolic presentation to the beneficiaries on Saturday at the Toto LGA Secretariat.
Lawal said the initiative was a deliberate effort by the Executive Director of the foundation, Dr Labaran Magaji, SAN, to complement the state government’s efforts to improve the productivity of smallholder farmers.
He said the beneficiaries were carefully selected from the 12 wards of the LGA without consideration for political or religious affiliations.
According to him, food sufficiency and security are critical to human survival, hence the foundation’s decision to support smallholder farmers to increase their production.
“We consider this empowerment as our modest intervention to boost your farming activities and increase production,” Lawal said.
He urged the beneficiaries to use the funds for the purpose for which they were provided, adding that each beneficiary would receive N30,000 directly into their bank account.
The coordinator said the foundation had also embarked on other empowerment programmes, including the award of scholarships to 1,000 indigent students and the empowerment of more than 3,000 women and youth groups during the founder’s 53rd birthday anniversary.
Also speaking, Umar Suleiman, Chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Toto LGA, described Magaji as a “farmer-friendly son of Toto”.
Suleiman said the Senior Advocate of Nigeria had demonstrated genuine concern for the welfare and development of farmers in the area.
He commended the cash grant initiative, saying the intervention would enable farmers to strengthen their agricultural activities and address some of the financial challenges associated with farming.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mr Allahnana Angulu, Sarkin Noma Loko Goma, expressed appreciation to the foundation for the gesture.
Angulu assured the foundation that the beneficiaries would use the grants judiciously to improve their farming activities and increase agricultural output.
