Three Hundred and twenty (320) rice farmers in Sandamu Local Government Area of Katsina state have benefited from the anchor borrower programme to boost rice production in the area.
Alhaji Usman Na-Lado, the chairman of rice farmers in the area, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Sandamu on Tuesday.
He said the farmers were provided with pesticides, seedlings and water pumping machines, adding that each farmer would also be provided with fertiliser and cash.
Na-Lado added that the beneficiaries included female farmers, who were also supplied with the farm inputs.
He stressed that there would be strict monitoring to ensure judicious of the utilisation of the loan and inputs.
Alhaji Tukur Galadima, the Katsina State Chairman of the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria RIFAN, warned farmers against diversion or sale of the items.
He said farming inputs were not provided free of charge as beneficiaries were expected to repay the loan with bags of paddy rice.
He commended the Federal Government for introducing the programme, adding over 50,000 farmers in this state were expected to key into the programme sponsored by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Galadima said the programme would go a long way to eradicate poverty, indolence and redundancy as well as promote self reliance, economic development and food security. (NAN)