29 July 2004
Source: All Africa Global Media

Determined to consolidate on the gains made in the agricultural sector, President Olusegun Obasanjo Tuesday sought the development bodies in the development of micro-credits in the country for the sector and for small and medium scale enterprises.

He made the call when the vice-president of International Fund Agricultural Development, (IFAD) Mr. Cyril Enweze paid him a visit at the State House Abuja. President urged the IFAD to undertake an ''independent look'' at existing micro-credit schemes in the country with a view to strengthening them.

He regretted that previous efforts like the People's Bank had not been very successful and urged that in the alternative, the international organisation could introduce a new scheme based on their experience in other countries.

The president further told the visitors that his administration was working on expansion phase of the Special Programme on Food Security, to take advantage of the huge successes achieved so far in that respect.

While disclosing that a target of 200,000 tonnes of grains in storage had been set for this season, from 150,000 tonnes last year, while Nigeria was already extending its cassava project to Senegal with a donation of 10 tonnes cassava stems, he further asked IFAD to extend its efforts to the propagation of cassava, maize and rice in the sub-region, so as to set foundation for elimination of famine.

''If we are able to move right in West Africa, we might be able to see an end to the days of famine in the continent'', he said.

Earlier, Mr. Enweze who is a Nigerian expressed IFAD's intention to open an office in Nigeria, in order to effectively cooperate in the areas of rural financing of agriculture, livestock development and rural micro-enterprises development.