The state branch of Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAAN) has expressed happiness that the pilot scheme of Anchor Borrowers loan Program targetting 70,000 small holder farmers introduced by the Federal Government in 2015 through the Central Bank of Nigeria and Bank of Agriculture in Kebbi State has largely been successful in achieving economic diversification through the rice value chain, increased rice production, curbing importation of foreign rice as well as creating job opportunities to our teaming women and youths in Kebbi state.
The association’s chairman, Alhaji Sahabi Augie made the disclosure in Birnin Kebbi during a parley with journalist on Wednesday 4/3/2020 . The chairman who was flanked by members of the Anchor Borrowers Committee and the Branch Head of Bank of Agriculture Alhaji Aliyu Zurmi who also butressed the explanation made by RIFAAN that the pilot program of ABP recorded tremendous success in Kebbi State.
The RIFAAN chairman opined that ” when President Buhari launched the Anchor Borrowers Program in November 17, 2015 , prior to the launch of the program, we achieved 1.5 million metric tons in the first year and since then the output keeps on increasing. Interestingly, our harvest has now reach 3.5 million metric tons which represent above 150 percentage “.
He said the development recorded in the scheme had triggered not only local investors but foreign investors from Mali , Cameroon, Niger and Benin republic to come to Kebbi to buy paddy rice in addition to the spring up of modern Rice Mills big and small across the state.
Augie however lamented that inspite of the tremendous success recorded by the program in different sectors of the state especially in the rice value chain, attraction of investment as well as food sufficiency in the state and Nigeria at large, some mischief makers under the guise of a political party and civil society organisation mischievously alledged that the ABP loan was diverted and misappropriated by Kebbi state Government and the loan did not reach the targetted farmers.
While exonorating the state government of any wrong doing ,he explained that the Bank of Agriculture (BOA) with the assistance of the ABP committee followed due process in identifying genuine farmers by taking their biometric information before the disbursement of the loan .
The chairman further said that 70,000 registered rice farmers have benefited from the pilot scheme with cash and inputs (cumulative N210,000 including inputs)
He restated that the Kebbi State Government has no hands in the disbursement of the loan but instead, Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu demonstrated good political leadership by supporting the committee with adequate funds to recruit 200 graduates including Corp members to hasten registration of farmers in their clusters in the 21 local government areas of the state so as to meet up the date line set by CBN for the closure of the registration excercise.
Augie commended both President Muhammadu Buhari for initiating what he described as ‘ rice revolution in Kebbi State’ and Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu for providing the needed political support for the program to succeed even beyond the shores of the state.
A member of the ABP team, a retired Permanent Secretary , Alhaji Abubakar Bello Udulu explained further that 70,000 rice farmers were targeted in the pilot phase of the program saying that 12..8 billion was disbursed to registered farmers in cash and inputs through the Bank of Agriculture (BOA) with each farmer under the arrangement cultivated one hectare of rice and got pumping machine, fertilizer, pesticides, herbicides and cash which in total amounted to N210,000.
Highlights of the interactive session with the media included questions and answers on all issues sorrounding Anchor Borrowers Program in the state .
Signed :
YAHYA SARKI
S.A Media to Kebbi State Governor
5/2/2020