Agency unveils solar-powered irrigation financing scheme in Ogun

Heifer Nigeria has launched a finance leasing assure scheme that provides farmers entry to solar-powered irrigation pumps that assist all-year-round farming no matter climate situations.

On the launch of the venture in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, the Nation Director of Heifer in Nigeria, Dr Lekan Tobe, defined that the irrigation expertise utilises photo voltaic vitality to energy the pumps, eliminating reliance on conventional vitality sources and reducing down farmers’ operational prices.

An announcement on Tuesday stated Heifer’s SPIPs finance leasing venture would offer smallholder farmers with entry to new irrigation expertise to assist their farming all year long.

This, it stated, would improve their capability to extend productiveness, earn elevated revenue, and enhance their livelihoods, aiding self-reliance and making them contribute extra to nationwide improvement.

The assertion learn, “Farmers can simply entry the SPIPs via a lease-to-own mannequin operated by a personal vendor facilitated by Heifer Nigeria. They will make a small down cost and unfold the steadiness in installments over two years, after which they personal the SPIP outright.

“With the SPIPs finance leasing venture, farmers in Ogun State would be capable of overcome local weather change, droughts, and unpredictable rainfall patterns, that are more and more impacting crop yields and meals safety and posing a big menace to agriculture in Nigeria.”

The director, Tobe, described the venture as an progressive and promising sustainable various to standard electrical energy and diesel-based pumping methods.

He famous that solar-powered pumps provide effectivity, comfort, reliability, and cost-effectiveness, saying they will remodel agriculture in Nigeria.

In response to him, Heifer’s focus encompasses farmer entry to the market, innovation, new expertise, and leveraging partnerships to scale up, resulting in increased productiveness and enabling farmers to earn respectable livelihoods whereas caring for the earth.

The Everlasting Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Meals Safety, Mrs. Kehinde Jokotoye, counseled Heifer’s assist for farmers, which she stated would result in meals self-sufficiency in Nigeria.

She assured that the state’s partnership with Heifer and others would proceed.

Jokotoye added that the Ogun State Authorities has put aside giant farm settlements throughout Ogun State and offered fertilisers and a standby fund to assist farmers and different teams within the state.

The founding father of Nimsy Agro Photo voltaic Idea and inventor of the SPIPs, Mr Onimisi Atere, defined that the brand new farm device has empowered farmers to farm 3 times a yr and embrace sustainable farming.

He added that with SPIPs, farmers would be capable of save as much as 40 per cent on farm bills, enabling them to earn extra.

The Managing Director/Chief Govt Officer of Ogun-Osun Rivers Basin Growth, Adedeji Ashiru, praised Heifer’s empowerment, like SPIPs, in fixing Nigeria’s meals manufacturing, safety, and sustainability.

Additionally, the Managing Director of the Web of Issues, Africa, Mellani Ayoola, suggested farmers to be open to new concepts via innovation and adoption of recent expertise to do higher, commending Heifer for facilitating the method of creating the SPIPs accessible to smallholder farmers.

The Enterprise Growth Supervisor of the Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Mr Oyeniyi Oyelekan, described SPIPs as a recreation changer that may improve Nigeria’s meals safety scenario.

The Programme Supervisor of the Ogun State Agricultural Growth Programme famous that the SPIPs’ accessibility to farmers assured that farmers now have the chance to farm all seasons, improve their farm outputs, and enhance their revenue and residing requirements.

Saheed Gambari, a farmer from Opebi, Odeda Native Authorities, described the venture as a divine intervention that has empowered him to be productive, farm profitably, and realise his farming goals.

One other farmer, Ayoleke Oke, stated SPIPs provide peace of thoughts, cut back stress and price of labour, improve precision farming, yield increased, and develop farming scope, resulting in a productive expertise.

Heifer expects that with the SPIP’s empowerment and elevated financial alternatives, ladies and youth could be inspired to embrace farming and unlock alternatives inside the agricultural sector.