Farmers and other beneficiaries of the Kwara State Government’s Community Revolving Fund have begun expanding their businesses, cultivating larger farmlands and employing additional workers following access to the intervention.
The development emerged as the Kwara State Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (KWACReSAL) commenced post-disbursement monitoring of beneficiaries across 10 communities in the state.
The monitoring exercise is aimed at assessing how beneficiaries are using the funds, measuring the early impact of the intervention on their livelihoods, identifying challenges and providing guidance to ensure the sustainability of the scheme.
According to a statement by KWACReSAL Communication Officer, Okanlawon Taiwo, the exercise covered Adewole, Warah, Afon, Oke-Ogun, Iponrin, Tsaragi, Shonga, Lafiagi, Lade and Patigi communities.
The monitoring team engaged beneficiaries and community leaders, inspected farms and other supported livelihood activities, and assessed the utilisation of the funds disbursed.
The Community Revolving Fund was introduced to strengthen the economic resilience of vulnerable community members, particularly women, youths, farmers and organised Community Interest Groups.
The first phase targeted 50 Community Interest Groups comprising about 1,000 beneficiaries, with additional beneficiaries expected as the programme expands.
Unlike grants, the funds are structured as a revolving facility, meaning beneficiaries are expected to repay within an agreed period so that other members of their communities can also access the scheme.
Speaking on the impact of the intervention, a beneficiary, Kayode Musa of Agbenise Cooperative Society, Afon, said the fund had enabled him to expand his farming activities beyond his previous capacity.
Musa said he had also ventured into additional livestock activities, including poultry, as a result of the support.
Another beneficiary, Isiaka Yakubu of Ounje Lawo Cooperative Farming, Afon, said the expansion of their farming operations had created opportunities to employ more workers.
Isiaka Sulaiman of Ifesowapo Community, Gbago, said the intervention had also strengthened cooperation among members of his group and encouraged them to plan for the future.
“The intervention has given us hope and encouraged us to work together. We now understand that if we manage the fund properly and repay as required, other people in our community will also have the opportunity to benefit,” he said.
A female farmer, Akinsola Princess of Ifesowapo Cooperative Farming, Oke-Ogun, said the intervention had made a significant difference to the cooperative during the current farming season.
She said the fund enabled the group to expand its farmland, employ more labourers and look forward to a better harvest.
Akinsola added that the expansion of farming activities had also boosted economic activities in the community by creating employment opportunities.
The beneficiaries appealed for continued monitoring, technical support and capacity building to help them maximise the benefits of the scheme and manage the funds effectively.
The monitoring team, meanwhile, stressed the need for beneficiaries to manage the funds prudently, keep proper records and comply with the agreed repayment arrangements.
It said the revolving nature of the scheme was critical to its sustainability, urging beneficiaries to honour repayment obligations so that other members of their communities could also benefit.
KWACReSAL said the post-disbursement assessment would provide first-hand information on the experiences of beneficiaries and help determine the grassroots impact of the intervention.
The project added that the exercise would also help identify areas requiring additional support while strengthening accountability and improving the implementation of subsequent phases.
The Community Revolving Fund is one of KWACReSAL’s interventions designed to improve livelihoods, strengthen community resilience and promote sustainable economic activities through access to financial resources.
