The Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria, RIFAN, Oyo state chapter, has received inputs worth N43million from the Anchor Borrower Programme, ABP, of the Federal Government, through the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN.
The Oyo state RIFAN Chairman, Samuel Akinade, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, in Ibadan on Tuesday.
Mr Akinade listed the inputs received to include: improved seeds, fertilizers, water pumps complete with the inlet and discharge hoses, sprayers, herbicides (post and pre-emergence), and services like ploughing, farm mapping, among others.
He added that it was for the 2020 batch A rain planting season, while no fewer than 190 farmers are expected to benefit from the Federal Government’s assistance.
Mr Akinade said the ABP was meant for the small holder farmers to key into the Federal Government programme to boost rice production in the country and improve the livelihood of farmers.
According to him, the Anchor Borrower Programme started with us in Oyo State in the 2017 dry season planting season.
“Ever since, the state has been benefitting, along other states of the federation, the programme is meant for the small holder farmers to key into the Federal Assistance in rice farming.
“This will enable us to make sufficient rice production for the country and export,” he said.
The Oyo state RIFAN Chairman promised that the farmers in excitement would reciprocate the government’s gestures by planting properly to be able to contribute their own quota and pay back the loan they collected as inputs.
He, therefore, urged all RIFAN members to participate in the programme and access the loan so as to boost their production and income.
NAN
