The Lift Above Poverty Organisation said on Tuesday it had empowered 108,367 farmers in Nigeria with loans amounting to N5.7bn for economic and agricultural projects.
The organisation explained that the beneficiaries were empowered in rural communities across different states of the federation in 2017, noting that the loan represented a N2.2bn increase from the N3.5bn it disbursed to 76,000 rural farmers in the 2016 fiscal year.
The Executive Director of LAPO, Sabina Idowu-Osehobo, stated this at a meeting in Benin to assess the organisation’s performance in 2017.
Idowu-Osehobo also stated that the farmers were selected under the LAPO Agricultural and Rural Development Initiative.
“LARDI supported 108,365 rural farmers with the sum of N5.7bn in 2017. The organisation equally provided them with high-yield inputs and extension services, which significantly boosted their operations during the year.”
She further stated that the beneficiaries would be monitored to assess the impact of the initiative.
The organisation added that it rendered health and social services to 1,475,951 women and vulnerable community residents in the country.
The Health Manager, Ayo Honestus, said 187,752 women were screened for diseases, including HIV, malaria, blood pressure, hepatitis and diabetes, while 3,386 other beneficiaries were referred for treatment in government-approved hospitals.
Source: Punch News
