A new mobile APP known as ‘Farmers’ Wallet’ to help smallholder farmers save for another cropping season to enhance sustained food production has been launched in Makurdi, the Benue State capital.
Unveiling the APP yesterday, the chief executive officer and founder of the APP, Engr. Valentine Iorlaha, said it was the first digital cooperative financing to be launched in Nigeria.
He said, “This APP will allow smallholder farmers to save incrementally at their convenience and securely for farm inputs such as seedlings, agrochemicals, fertiliser and mechanisation while also providing access to microloans, insurance, market, data and extension advisory services.
“Benue State is blessed with fertile lands and a vibrant farming population that requires the innovation that we are unveiling today, the Farmers’ Wallet is designed to address the unique challenges faced by our smallholder farmers and we firmly believe it will play a vital role in unlocking investment by the farmers themselves.”
He explained that the foundation of the APP was built on the initiative of the president of the African Development Bank during his time as minister of agriculture, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, as the e-wallet system.
“We have further developed the wallet into a sustainable, self-driven and scalable digital platform that provides more than just farm inputs but also empowers farmers with financial services, planning tools and market access which will make their farming journey more prosperous and secured.
Earlier, the state chairman of All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Abel Owoicho, said all farmers would key into the project and urged the management of Novus MFB and Farmer’s Wallet to workout modalities to include indigent farmers in the programme.
