AKWA  IBOM Government says it is poised to train 1,200 young farmers in 2011 and empower them with micro-credit facilities.
The State Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mr Eno Akpan, announced this during the week  in Essien Udim Local Government Area while launching a sensitization workshop on Rural Finance Institution Building Programme (RUFIN) in the state.

Akpan said that 1,000 women would be trained under the Women Agro_Entrepreneur Development Programme and provided with credit facilities within the year.

He further said that the state government would disburse N1 billion under its Commercial Agriculture Credit Scheme to applicants for the expansion of various agricultural ventures.

Akpan said that the RUFIN, which is in its pilot phase, would be implemented in three local government areas __ Essien Udim, Onna and Itu.

“The goal of RUFIN is to contribute to poverty reduction through the improvement of income, food security and general living conditions of rural poor households.

According to him, the programme targets the rural poor including women, youths and the physically challenged.
“I therefore call on youths, women, the physically challenged as well as the entire good people

of Akwa Ibom state to take advantage of these opportunities,” Akpan said.

In his message, the National Programme Coordinator of RUFIN, Mr Muyiwa Azeez, explained that RUFIN is a collaborative effort among the Federal, some states and local governments with financial assistance from the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD).