By Ibrahim Bello

The Federal Government through the Central Bank of Nigeria’ (CBN) Anchor Borrowers’ Programme (ABP) has commenced sale of 200,000 metric tonnes of paddy rice to 18 Nigerian millers.

The CBN Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele, made this known at the 5th year anniversary of ABP at Birnin Kebbi on Tuesday.

“Just as we have given the money to farmers for the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme, we will be disbursing the paddy aggregation loans to those millers.

“This is in order to use the loan to pay the farmers so that the farmers can repay their loans,” Emefiele said.

He said that the CBN had financed 2,923,937 small holder farmers cultivating 3,647,643 hectares of land across 21 commodities through about 33 participating financial institutions in the country.

Emefiele said the experience of 2015 to date had led to  significant improvement in the execution of the programme.

He said that the bank had added several layers of control to improve on transparency and accountability among stakeholders.

“Today is a demonstration of the growth that had been attained in the agricultural sphere.

“It is important to note that, we are still far from attaining perfection but the emerging result from the programme reaffirms our belief in the potentials inherent in our agricultural sector.

“Farming will become a profitable venture in Nigeria as all farmers, because of the guaranteed off-take of their produce,  are smiling to the banks.

“Under the 2020 wet season CBN and Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) partnership, we financed 221,450 farmers for the cultivation of 221,450 hectares in 32 states of the country.

“Repayment of loan is crucial to the sustainability of the programme.

“In support of the growth recorded in this drive to attain self – sufficiency in food production and to moderate prices of agricultural commodities, President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the resuscitation of Nigeria’s commodity exchange.

“And the CBN in partnership with other stakeholders, will be committing  at least, N50 billion to this initiative,” Emefiele explained.

He expressed the bank’s  commitment to finance one million hectares of rice farms in the present dry season farming with the plan of exploring two cycles of production with the season.

In his remarks, Gov. Atiku Bagudu expressed optimism that the farmers would take the country out of her tough economic challenges.

Bagudu commended President Buhari for his magnanimous support to all states in the country  to ensure that economic activities were kept functional.

The President of Benin Republic, Mr Patrice Talon was represented by his Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Aurelie Agbenonci at the occasion.

Talon said that a team of about four ministers was in the state to witness the celebration of successes by the state in particular and the country at large.

“We have seen it all and we are going to establish a partnership in milling and produce rice together to feed the whole West African sub- region,” he said.

Earlier, the National President of RIFAN  Alhaji Aminu Goronyo, commended President  Buhari for his commitment to food security and visionary ideas for the initiation of the programme five years ago.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that those in attendance at the event included the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar III and former Senate President, Ken Nnamani. (NAN).

By Philip Dzeremo

Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said it had trained 600 crop and livestock farmers in rural communities of Benue on alternative feedstock.

The five-day training, which began on February 1 with a refresher training for extension workers, was followed by mobilisation of farmers in some communities in Logo, Makurdi, Guma and Kwande Local Government Areas.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the training was sponsored by the United Nations, in collaboration with the Center for Social Change and Economic Development (CSCED).

Mr Idris Gabdo, a consultant with CSCED, an implementing partner of FAO, said in an interview with NAN in Makurdi on Tuesday that the initiative was designed to teach the participants hydroponics fodder, multi nutrient block and urea treatment.

Gabdo explained that the three layers of feedstock were aimed at boosting both crop production and animal feed.

He said: “So far, we have achieved more than 50 per cent of our training requirements by handing out our deliverables.

“The training involved stepping-down knowledge of alternative feedstock and value chain, opportunities in alternative feedstock, feed quality and safety, animal nutrition and feed processing.

“We also had training on three practical step-down skills on hydroponics fodder production, multi nutrients block-making and urea treatment.

“We started the training with 20 extension workers, one absconded during the refresher  training, while another absconded during the step-down training.

“But we have some of our extension workers working in more than one community, so, by and large, we have done well.

“In fact, we have already sent our interim report to FAO, stating the progress already made from mobilisation to training in the rural communities.

Gabdo said that each of the 20 extension workers was expected to train at least 30 people in each community.
A trainee, Mrs Msughshima Vershima, described the training as impactful.

According to Vershima, who rears pigs and sheep, she learnt a lot on animal hygiene, urea treatment for animals and new methods of crop production.

Mrs Adikwu Oyiwodu from Agatu, who rears goats, expressed gratitude to FAO for the training and said she would no longer allow her goats to graze openly.

“I have learnt so many things during this training. I learnt about urea treatment and hydroponics, which will help me improve the feed for my goats,” she said.

Mr Godwin Abu said, “With the knowledge acquired from this training, I can use small amount of money to provide feed for my goats and chicken.”

An extension worker, Mr Augustine Ojotu, said he exceeded the 30 trainees target because of the response from the community.

Ojotu said seven herdsmen turned out for the training and were taught in Hausa Language, through an interpreter.

He said the herders were impressed with the training and promised to utilise the skills to improve the nutrition of their cattle.

The programme, an initiative of the UN, United Nations Human Rights Commission and the UN Women, is aimed at promoting peaceful coexistence between herders and rural farmers. (NAN)