No fewer than 5, 000 registered rice farmers in Kogi will benefit from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) anchor borrower programme.
The state’s Chairman of Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN), Mrs Rabi Emaiku, made this known in a town hall meeting of Rice Value Chain Farmers and stakeholders on Friday in Lokoja.
Emaiku said that over 5,000 farmers in the state had registered and completed the necessary documentations required by the CBN to qualify them to access the rice fund.
Emaiku urged stakeholders involved in rice production to harmonise ways to boost and ensure adequate rice production in the state.
She advised farmers in the state to make good use of the opportunity provided them by the Federal Government through the CBN to boost production.
“Our associations are ready to give our trust and support to the CBN, Federal and State governments, and all other stakeholders to ensure the success of the programme in Kogi,” she said.
The chairman also commended the State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello for his efforts and total support to farmers in making the programme a reality in Kogi.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the state governor was represented at the meeting by the Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr Tim Dichie.
The governor restated the strong commitment of the state government in making sure that food security is given priority attention in the state.
The CBN representative, Mr Idris Usman, who is the Head of Development Finance Office of CBN, Lokoja, said he was there to witness the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that would be signed by all stakeholders for onward transmission to the CBN for implementation.
Usman noted that 50 per cent guarantee of any amount agreed on in the meeting would be taken over by the CBN, while 40 per cent by State Government and 5 to 10 per cent by individual participants.
The stakeholders present at the meeting were: CBN, ADP, UNDP, Federal Ministry of Agriculture, RIFAN, Kogi State Ministry of Agriculture, Off takers from Kano, Edo and Anambra States.
Others were Seed Suppliers, Tractorization Company, Sterling Bank, AFAN, SWOFON, KSARPFUL and various farmers’ associations in the state.