The Kwara State Government has announced plans to expand the Community Revolving Fund under the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project, increasing the number of beneficiaries from 1,000 to about 1,400 across rural communities in the state.
The intervention, which is supported by the World Bank, is aimed at improving agricultural productivity, supporting livelihoods and strengthening environmental resilience through community-based revolving loans.
The development was disclosed in a statement issued by the Communication Officer of KWACReSAL, Okanlawon Taiwo, in Ilorin on Friday.
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to the programme during the opening of a two-day revalidation, retraining and post-disbursement support exercise organised for beneficiaries in Ilorin.
The governor, represented by the Commissioner for Environment and Chairman of the State Steering Committee for ACReSAL, Nafisat Musa-Buge, described the Community Revolving Fund as an important tool for grassroots economic development and sustainable growth in rural communities.
“The Community Revolving Fund is a strategic intervention aimed at improving livelihoods, strengthening resilience and expanding economic opportunities across benefiting communities,” she said.
According to Musa-Buge, the first phase of the programme currently covers 50 Community Interest Groups spread across 10 communities, with around 1,000 beneficiaries already participating in the scheme.
She explained that each participating community receives $25,000, which is shared among five Community Interest Groups operating within the affected areas.
Musa-Buge further stated that the fund operates as a repayable loan in line with World Bank guidelines, adding that beneficiaries are expected to repay within eight months after receiving the funds.
“The revolving nature of the fund is designed to guarantee sustainability and widen access to economic opportunities for rural dwellers,” she added.
She noted that repayments made by beneficiaries would be recycled into the programme to allow additional community members to access the funding in future phases.
The commissioner also said the retraining and revalidation exercise was introduced to improve implementation, equip beneficiaries with practical knowledge and reduce post-disbursement challenges that could affect repayment and productivity.
Project Coordinator of ACReSAL in Kwara State, Shamsideen Aregbe, said the success of the programme depends largely on how effectively beneficiaries utilise the support provided.
“The success of ACReSAL rests on the success of our beneficiaries, and that is why we are strengthening their capacity through revalidation and retraining,” Aregbe said.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Dr Abubakar Ayinla, also said the intervention had already started producing visible impact in rural communities, especially in environmental sustainability and local economic activities.
He urged beneficiaries to make proper use of the loans, noting that communities that demonstrate productivity and compliance would continue to benefit from future interventions under the ACReSAL programme.
