FG, Edo disburse N202m grants to 2,250 agric start-ups

Edo State government, on Thursday, commenced the disbursement of over N202 million to 2,250 start-ups spread across five local government areas of the state.

The Focal Person, Project Support Unit, Edo Sustainable Development Goals (PSU-SDG), Mrs Ifueko Alufohai, said this at the training and disbursement of the grants to beneficiaries in Ovia South-West Local Government Area of the state.

She said five local government areas in the state were selected to benefit from the programme in 2012 and 2013 based on their low-income status, noting that the implementation of the programme failed until Governor Godwin Obaseki assumed office in 2016.

Alufohai noted that 450 agric entrepreneurs had been given start-up grants to improve their farming businesses in the local government, adding, “This grant basically is 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 local councils, which are Ovia South-West, Orhionmwon, Akoko-Edo, Etsako West and Esan South-East local government areas.