President Muhammadu Buhari says Nigeria can achieve self sufficiency in food production through the extension of her National Anchor Borrowers Programme to rice farmers in the country.
The President stated this in Ado Ekiti at the launching of Ekiti Rice Pyramid Project and Flag off of the 2021 Wet season Rice Cultivation.
Speaking through the Governor of kebbi State, Alhaji Atiku Bagudu who is the vice chairman of the National Council on Food Security, the President noted that if everyone Key into the project, Nigeria would have enough to eat and export for foreign exchange.
President Buhari Who is the Chairman of Council explained that his administration was investing a lot on rice production as it remained major staple food in Nigeria.
In his address, the Governor of Ekiti State who is the chairman, Nigeria’s Governors Forum Dr. Kayode Fayemi explained that it became imperative that government looked in ward to make use of the fertile land in the State for massive production of rice.
He said; “As a government, our simple pledge is to institutionalize commercial agriculture and make agribusiness enticing, exciting and encouraging for the populace, especially the youths. That is why we started our Youth in Commercial Agriculture Development (YCAD) programme which now has over 1000 young farmers.
Governor Fayemi who commanded Federal Government for initiating the National Anchor Borrowers Programm in 2015 said it had brought about significant increase in agriculture output in the country.
“Without doubt, Ekiti State is making this solemn pledge a reality today with this tripartite partnership between CBN ANCHOR BORROWERS FUNDS, RIFAN (Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria) and Ekiti State Government. This is the commencement of the programme in the Southwest and I am glad that my brother Governors – Akeredolu and Oyetola are here to honour us with their presence. It is my expectation that Ondo and Osun States will be the next destinations for this tripartite partnership. The Governor said.
While Speaking, the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr Godwin Emefiele pointed out that the apex bank has disbursed over three Hundred Billion Naira to the thirty Six States of the Federation to aid Agricultural production.
“The Central Bank of Nigeria would like to see more Nigerian youth embrace mechanised farming as a sure way to become millionaires assuring that the CBN would readily assist”.
Mr Emefiele who said the CBN was ready to support farmers in the southwest to reactivate cocoa production explained that the bank had already financed over three million naira farmers to cultivate about nine Hundred hectares of farmland.
In a goodwill message, the chairman of southwest Governors forum and Ondo state Governor, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu pointed out that the major problem facing farmers in the west is that of land clearing which the region was ready to address.
Also, in their goodwill messages, Governor Ggboyega Oyetola of Osun State and his center part from Jigawa, Alhaji Baduru Abubarka commended the Government of Ekiti State for the giant step, noting that the inauguration of the rice pyramid in the State would spur other States to key into the project.
