The Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk-Sharing System for Agricultural Lending, (NIRSAL) a subsidiary of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is partnering with Nasarawa government to boost agribusiness in the state.

The State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, disclosed this in Lafia on Tuesday, while receiving a team from NIRSAL, who were in the state to have a technical session with stakeholders to facilitate agribusiness financing for farmers and others in the agricultural value chain.

He said that NIRSAL intervention in the state would go a long way in encouraging the teaming unemployed youths in the state to venture into agriculture as a productive business.

“Nasarawa is one of the states in the country with vast arable land, but challenged with huge youth unemployment, who would have been gainfully engaged given the necessary boost,”Sule said.

The governor pointed out that the proximity of Nasarawa to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) coupled with the population has created ready market for agricultural production from the state.

He called on stakeholders, especially the youths in the state to take advantage of the opportunity for them to be gainfully engaged, and earn a living and be self reliant.

Mr Sheriff Salau, NIRSAL Head, Collaboration and Partnership said they were in the state to interface with stakeholders with a view to boost agribusiness in the state.

Salau explained that NIRSAL is a 500 million Dollar project established by the CBN with the mandate of de-risking agriculture and facilitating agribusiness in the country.

According to him, NIRSAL works as an intermediary between the various players in the agribusiness.

He disclosed that since its inception 5 years ago, NIRSAL had facilitated about N90 billion into the agricultural space.

Salau added that NIRSAL’s decision to intervene in Nasarawa was informed by the passion of the state governor to develop agriculture and create opportunity for the teeming youths to have a profitable means of livelihood. (NAN)