The Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN) has trained livestock farmers from several Nigerian states on business planning, financial management and how to access credit to help them grow sustainable agribusinesses.
The regional training brought together livestock farmers from Ekiti, Ondo, Oyo and Edo States for practical sessions aimed at improving how small and medium-scale farmers manage and expand their businesses.
The programme focused on helping farmers understand how to properly plan their livestock operations, manage finances and prepare themselves to access funding opportunities from financial institutions.
Many livestock farmers in Nigeria often face challenges when trying to access loans because they lack structured business plans or proper financial records.
Through the training sessions, participants were guided on how to develop clear business development plans, organise their financial records and understand how credit systems work.
At the end of the programme, the farmers took an examination to assess their understanding of the training modules.
Farmers from Ekiti State recorded the highest performance among all participating states, scoring 92 percent in the regional assessment.
Organisers said the result reflected the growing commitment in Ekiti State to strengthen livestock production and agribusiness development.
One of the highlights of the programme was the presentation of a ₦1 million grant to Tieerade Allied Farm Ltd., a livestock enterprise based in Ekiti State.
The grant is expected to support the farm in expanding its livestock production and improving its operational capacity.
The Ekiti State Project Coordinator for the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES), Mr Olayinka Adedipe, praised the initiative and the support provided by development partners.
“These kinds of programmes help farmers build the knowledge and financial access they need to grow sustainable agribusinesses,” Adedipe said.
He noted that training farmers on financial management and credit access is important for strengthening the livestock sector and improving productivity.
Rt. Hon. Tope Ademiluyi, principal partner of Tieerade Allied Farm Ltd., said the grant would help the business scale up its livestock operations.
“This support will significantly improve our production capacity and allow us to expand our operations,” Ademiluyi said.
He added that the expansion would also help create employment opportunities and strengthen the livestock value chain in Ekiti State.
