The Jigawa Government on Thursday said it had disbursed N375 million loan to farmers to accelerate paddy rice production.
The Commissioner of Agriculture, Alhaji Kabir Ali, said this at the inauguration of the pilot rice trading Centre project in Auyo, Jigawa.
Ali said the loans were disbursed to registered farmers under the Farm Cluster scheme during the last cropping season.
He explained that fertiliser, seeds, chemicals and farm inputs were given to the farmers under a soft loan revolving scheme designed to enhance agricultural financing.
“We disbursed over N375 million loans to the farmers. We have so far recovered about 73 per cent of the loans,” he said.
“The state government had also distributed fertiliser, seeds and inputs to rice and wheat growers for the current dry season activity.
“Government initiated various programmes to expose farmers to modern farming and processing techniques, enhance their enterprising skills and add value to their produce,’’ he said.
Ali commended the farmers over the prompt settlement of the loans, adding that the gesture indicated farmers’ support to government programmes.
The commissioner called on farmers to off-set the remaining balance of the loan to facilitate its sustainability and mobilise participation in the programme.
Statistics from the state’s Ministry of Agriculture showed that 36, 250 farmer clusters were registered and incorporated into the Federal Government’s Anchor Borrower scheme in the state. (NAN)