Section 8: Functions of the Fund

The Fund shall —
a provide finance to support agricultural development in Nigeria taking into consideration the need to provide food production and food security in Nigeria, in all its ramifications including crop production, livestock, fisheries, poultry and agro-forestry;
b provide finance for the implementation of agricultural policies and strengthen agricultural institutions within the framework on national priorities and strategies;
c provide funds for on-lending to farmers and corporate bodies through financial institutions including microfinance banks, cooperative societies, organisations, farmer groups and institutions on appropriate soft terms;
d provide finance primarily for the establishment of special agricultural offices in each State of the Federation, to boost food production system in Nigeria;
e provide financial support in the form of grant for research, training, market information systems and agricultural extension service in research institutes, universities and ministries;
f provide emergency fund for agriculture finance and intervention for the control of trans-boundary animal disease outbreak;
g participate in the effort to build rural access to financial service through microfinance by creating linkages between upstream financial centre (including private-sector groups) and local organisation's serving rural poor people;
h assist the efforts of donor institutions to increase food and agricultural production as well as the organisation's technical competence and experience in this field; and
i engage in such activities and perform such functions as this Act may confer, or as the President may, after consultation with the Minister, permit or assign to it.