The Nigeria Incentive Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) says it is ready to partner with the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) on empowerment to enhance their livelihood even after retirement.
Mr Aliyu Abdulhameed, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NIRSAL, disclosed this during his keynote address at the 17th All Nigeria Editors’ Conference (ANEC) 2021, organised by NGE on Friday in Abuja.
Abdulhameed said there were many opportunities and services at NIRSAL that the NGE could benefit from, adding that they were ready to partner with the guild.
“What NARSAL would do with the NGE is to speak with them through a technical team set up by the guild and create a model for up and down stream of how the guild can benefit from the various opportunities in NIRSAL.
” Then, we optimise these models so that when we put in one naira, we can get three naira in returns, because, it is not economically wise to put in one naira and get one naira.
“The agriculture sector is subject to science and modelling. So, when we optimise your project with you, we then optimise financial solutions. Then, we approach the bank.
” My call of action to the guild is how we can work with you to create a technical pilot model to benefit the guild,” Abdulhameed said.
He urged members of the guild to understand that agriculture was a business venture, adding that the sector contributed to about 24 per cent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Products.
He stressed that in Brazil and Egypt, especially in the Nile Valley, agriculture had been passed from generation to generation, saying it had the potential of enhancing the livelihood of the citizens.
According to him, it is regrettable that a lot of farmers think agriculture only begins and ends with production.
He said production was an aspect of the agriculture, there was need for other chains like packaging to enhance value.
Annually, ANEC provides a platform for relevant stakeholders in the media from across the country to cross fertilise ideas for improved efficiency.
