Agric start-ups get grants to improve farming businesses in Edo 

Edo State Government said it has commenced the disbursement of over N202 million to 2,250 startups, which spreads across five Local Government Areas of the state.

Ifueko Alufohai, of the Project Support Unit, Edo Sustainable Development Goals (PSU-SDG), who dropped the hint at the training and disbursement of the grants to beneficiaries in Ovia South West Local Government Area, said 450 agripreneurs have been given start-up grants to improve their farming businesses in Ovia South West LGA. She said the grant is basically for training and empowerment as the beneficiaries are expected to invest the grants on their farming businesses to improve their livelihood.

According to her, 90 beneficiaries were selected from five communities across the five council areas, which include Ovia South-West, Orhionmwon, Akoko-Edo, Etsako West and Esan South-East LGAs. In Ovia South-West LGA, she noted that 450 beneficiaries from five communities, including Iguobazuwa East, Umaza, Siluko, Udo and Ugbogu benefited from the start-up grants of N90, 000. Hon. Destiny Enabulele, Chairman, Ovia South West LGA, expressed appreciation to the Federal Government and Edo State Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), for the grants.

Enabulele, urged the beneficiaries to guard against wastage and properly utilise the seed grants to grow their farming businesses, which will in turn stimulate government to extend more support to farmers.  Special Adviser to the Governor on Agriculture and Food Security Programme, Prince Joe Okojie, commended President Muhammadu Buhari, Governor Godwin Obaseki and the SDG Project Support Unit for ensuring the grants are disbursed to agripreneurs.

Speaking on behalf of other beneficiaries, Arise Joseph, who is into plantain farming, thanked the government for making their dreams of over six years a reality with the training and disbursement of the start-up grants, promising to utilise the fund to improve their businesses and contribute their quota to the development of the society.