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The Government of President Bola Ahmad Tinubu GCFR has Reaffirmed unwavering commitment to Empower Smallholder Farmers under Renewed Hope GEEP 3.0 also known as FarmerMoni.

This was disclosed by the National Coordinator and CEO, National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA), Associate Prof. Badamasi Lawal represented by the National Programme Manager of GEEP, Hon. Hamza Baba when he conducted a Renewed Hope GEEP 3.0 Dry and Wet Season FarmerMoni Media and Sensitization Programme for the North‑West Zone in Jigawa State.

According to a statement signed by Attari M. Hope, Anipr, the Deputy Director and Head of Information and Public Relations of the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA), the event brought together government stakeholders, traditional and community leaders, implementation partners, the media and FarmerMoni beneficiaries to reinforce the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening the agricultural value chain and promoting financial inclusion for smallholder farmers.

Badamasi said that the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP) FarmerMoni remains a cornerstone intervention to support smallholder farmers to expand production, improve productivity and enhance food security under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

“The sensitization targeted registered and revalidated FarmerMoni beneficiaries and provided clear guidance on appropriate fund utilization, accountability and the importance of repayment to sustain the revolving fund,” he explained.

Speaking further he stressed that FarmerMoni is a recoverable loan (not a grant) pointing out that Beneficiaries are expected to invest funds directly into their agricultural enterprises (crop production, livestock, or poultry) and to honour agreed repayment obligations.

He said: “The programme provides a flexible moratorium and repayment structure aligned to farming cycles, Moratorium: 6–9 months depending on activity to allow for cultivation and harvest, Repayment: 3 months for short‑cycle commodities; and 6 months for longer‑cycle commodities.”

He emphasized that NSIPA will monitor beneficiaries using the GEEP Dashboard and a robust monitoring and evaluation framework to ensure transparency, proper utilization and to offer guidance where needed.

The sensitization programme highlighted successful lessons from Jigawa State’s goat empowerment scheme — an asset‑based approach that combined livestock provision with cooperative group structures, veterinary support, training and market linkages. NSIPA signalled intent to integrate practical elements of this model into FarmerMoni, including bundling finance with inputs or productive assets, strengthening group accountability, simple asset verification and support services to translate every loan into a viable enterprise.

Concluding, he said: “This programme is not a handout. It is a structured financial support system designed to grow your agricultural enterprise. Proper use of these funds will benefit you individually and contribute to our broader goal of national food security.” He further urged beneficiaries to approach the opportunity with seriousness, discipline and integrity, and to serve as ambassadors for the programme in their communities.

Honourable Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Special Duties of Jigawa State welcomed participants and reaffirmed the State Government’s strong partnership with the Federal initiative. He commended Governor Malam Umar A. Namadi’s investments in irrigation, tractorization, high‑quality inputs and complementary empowerment schemes, saying these interventions ensure that federal credit yields tangible agricultural outcomes.

The Commissioner reiterated that FarmerMoni is a repayable loan and encouraged beneficiaries to adopt modern techniques and use the funds wisely to enhance household incomes and strengthen food security.

NSIPA and Jigawa State authorities called on all FarmerMoni beneficiaries to use funds strictly for their designated agricultural activities; respect agreed moratorium and repayment timelines; engage with extension services and cooperative groups for technical support; and report progress and cooperate with monitoring to safeguard the sustainability of the programme.