In furtherance of its commitment to promote sustainable agriculture in Nigeria, Unity Bank Plc has donated Resource Support Items to Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
The items were presented to the Executive members of RIFAN at the Association’s secretariat in Abuja recently.
Receiving the items on behalf of the Association, the National President, RIFAN, Alhaji Aminu Goronyo, expressed gratitude to the management and staff of Unity Bank for the gesture. The RIFAN president further praised the Bank for supporting the Federal Government’s Agricultural initiative, adding that, with the growing support the Association has received from corporate organizations like Unity Bank Plc, the Bank has not only demonstrated outstanding commitment to the development of agribusiness, it has equally put the Bank in the forefront of supporting the Federal Government’s initiative in achieving successive reduction in the rice import bill, food sufficiency and employment.
Presenting the Resource Support items, the Zonal Head, Abuja and North Central, who led the Unity Bank’s team, Mr. Nurudeen Bashir Mohammed stated that the donation is in pursuant of the Bank’s strategic business focus in the area of Agriculture, SME and Rural Economy. He said this is part of our Corporate Social Responsibility in sustaining this sector.
Unity Bank in 2018/2019 farming season partnered with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to empower farmers. A total of 421,827 small holder farmers (SHF) across 36 states of the nation plus Abuja have benefitted from the intervention fund under the Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP).
As one of the major drivers of the programme, Unity bank Plc earned a presidential Award at the third anniversary of the Federal Government’s Anchor Borrowers’ Programme (ABP). This award which was presented by President Mohammadu Buhari and RIFAN was in recognition of the Bank’s strong participation in the ABP.
It should be recalled that Unity Bank Plc recently won the CBN 2018 sustainable banking award, having emerged tops in the category of sustainable transaction of the year in agriculture. The recognition was in observance of the Sustainable Banking Principles as it relates to the management of Environmental and Social Risk set out by the CBN for adoption by Nigerian Banks, Discount Houses and Development Banks.