When Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu came to power in May last year under the platform of APC, he acknowledged in his swearing in and budget speeches that agriculture will be a major priority of his new administration—that he will create wealth, provide employment and fight poverty through genuine agricultural policies and programmes.
Bagudu allocated the sum of 12.5 billion naira to the agric sector, thus becoming the third sector with highest allocation after education and works sectors. Although he came at a time when the economy of the state was in a shambles and famers of the state experienced serious devastating floods which washed away most of their farm produce and communities , the governor started by releasing billions of naira to rehabilitate the farmers and cushioned the effects of the flood as well as providing improved seeds and fertilizer to the farmers.
Having done that , Governor Bagudu identified the need for his government to collaborate with farmers’ associations and groups like the All Famers Association of Nigeria ( AFAAN), Rice Farmers’ Association of Nigeria (RIFAAN), Wheat Farmers’ Association of Nigeria and a host of others. He has also been engaging with farmers one on one through personal visits to their farms in order to find out for himself the reality on the ground. Apart from that farmers associations like AFAAN , RIFAAN were mobilised by the governor to hold town hall meetings with farmers in order to brainstorm on the way forward towards achieving agricultural development .
Sensing that Kebbi State has great opportunity and potential in rice production because over 60% of farmers in the state are rice farmers, Governor Bagudu set the ball rolling in agricultural production, particularly rice farming in the state.
Perhaps this may be the reason why President Muhammadu Buhari was in Kebbi last year to flag off the 2015/2016 Dry Season Rice and Wheat Farming as well as to declare the CBN Anchor Borrowers’ programme which is a financing model for small holder farmers in the state. The president has no doubt in wanting to diversify the economy through agriculture using Kebbi as a model. The Anchor Borrower programme of the Central Bank of Nigeria was initiated to develop rice production in the country with Kebbi State as starting point and model. It provided a platform for a tripartite collaboration between rice farmers, millers as up -takers and commercial banks .Under the programme, CBN provide loans to the farmers which will be accessed through commercial banks and rice processors such as LABANA, UMZA and POPOLA foods which will mop up the entire farmer production. Kebbi’s promising potential in agriculture, especially rice farming, attracted President Buhari’s attention to use Kebbi as a model of his administration agricultural policy and economic diversification agenda largely because the international or global oil market is no linger dependable.
The President did not waste time in highlighting the importance of agriculture to the economy of Nigeria and the urgent need to diversify the economy through agricultural production.
“ The importance of agriculture to the economy cannot be over emphasised, economic diversification is the only way to prosperity, so go back to the land and develop agriculture because the era of depending on oil is over “, he said.
Buhari commended Kebbi for taking the lead in the project and its effort in revival of rice and wheat production .
In his remarks, the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele said the programme was designed to create economic linkages between farmers and processors, not only to ensure agricultural output of rice and wheat but also close the gap between production and consumption. According to him, the CBN has set aside 40 billion naira under the programme, out of the 220 billion naira micro, small and medium enterprise fund for farmers at single digit interest rate of maximum 9%.
The CBN boss further explained that over 200,000 rice and wheat farmers will benefit from the scheme ranging from 150, 000 naira to 250,000 naira and to assist in procuring necessary agricultural input. The CBN Anchor Borrowers Programme, according to Mr Emefiele, which kicked started in Kebbi was also targeting to change Nigeria from a major importing country to a major exporting country as well as provide food security for the nation.
Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu earlier in his speech at the occasion, commended CBN for the programme and assured that the state has the capacity and potential to produce rice and wheat for both domestic and external consumption. He announced that Kebbi farmers can produce one million tones of rice annually to help the county in its march towards self sufficiency in food production.
Kebbi State has demonstrated full commitment in helping farmers to achieve maximum production of food especially rice. During the current production season (2015/2016), Kebbi State Government has committed 3.5 billion naira to support rice production targeting 100,000 farmers.
Each participating farmer is supported with a loan facility to the tune of 210,000 naira to cultivate rice in one hectare, the loan proceeds will be used by farmers to procure recommended inputs and manual labour. Governor Abubakar Bagudu has indeed demonstrated both the political and financial will in supporting farmers through the programme.
~Leadership Newspaper
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