ACReSAL’s CRF Intervention: Unlocking Agricultural Potential in Benue State
Comrade Philip Swende, 41 years old, married with 3 children, is the President of Kentors Multipurpose Cooperative Society Limited in North Bank Community Makurdi, Benue State. The Co-operative has been involved in rice production over the years, with a farm size of 3 hectares per annum and a yield of about 60 bags of 100kg.
They had often faced the challenges of inadequate capital to purchase farm inputs and improved varieties for optimal yield, thus operating on a smaller scale despite their ambition to increase their production. Having failed severally to access loans to enhance their rice production, Kentors Multipurpose Co-operative Society Limited heard about the Community Revolving Fund (CRF) loan when Benue ACReSAL was sensitizing the pilot watersheds in the State.
They quickly jumped on board and applied. Following the rigorous training and screening, the co-operative was fortunate to have been selected as one of the 5 beneficiary Community Interest Groups (CIGs) in the North Bank Community. After the Presentation of CRF ACReSAL cheques to benefiting communities/CIGs by the Executive Governor of Benue State, His Excellency Rev. Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia and the World Bank Team, the Governor encouraged the citizens of the state to increase agricultural production as this will bring about improvement of their livelihoods.
Kentors Multipurpose Society Limited put the 7 million Naira loan they had accessed into their rice farm. Receiving the loan in 3 tranches, the co-operative increased their farm size from 3 to 10 hectares and harvested 200 bags of rice, 100kg each, even though 3 hectares of the farm had been submerged due to flooding from the River Benue.
The cooperative is waiting for commodity prices to go up a bit so that they can sell their produce and make a bullet payment to offset their CRF loan. Following the training received from Benue ACReSAL on Climate Smart Agricultural (CSA) production, the cooperative, after the initial harvest, went into dry season farming, taking advantage of the dam in their community.
They have cultivated 2 hectares of rice near the dam and acquired solar powered irrigation pumps for use on the farm and are expecting a bumper harvest with at least 80 bags of 100 kg at the end. Kentors Multipurpose Society Limited has expressed their desire to increase their farm size to 15 hectares in the coming rainy season.
The impact of the ACReSAL CRF loan intervention has been significant, resulting in an increase in farm size from 3 to 10 hectares, an increase in rice yield/production from 60 to 200 bags of 100kg each, and the adoption of Climate Smart Agricultural practices. This has also led to climate resilience and expansion of members of the co-operative from 25 to 57 members, as well as an increase in inter-loaning within the cooperative.
The success story of Kentors Multipurpose Cooperative Society Limited is a demonstration to the power of targeted interventions and community development. ACReSAL’s CRF loan has not only improved the livelihoods of the cooperative members but has also built their resilience to climate change. As the cooperative continues to thrive, it serves as a shining example of what can be achieved with the right support and resources.
