By Abdallah el-Kurebe
A total of about 57,403 rice farmers have been prepared to receive inputs through the RIFAN/CBN-Anchor Borrowers Programme in Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states.
The Public Private Partnership (PPP) pilot programme, currently being ran by the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) in collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is designed for three cropping seasons a year.
Sokoto state RIFAN Chairman, Salihu Ibrahim Yabo said that 13,000 rice farmers will receive inputs including fertilisers, seeds, herbicides, sprayers, chemicals and pumping machines would be distributed to the farmers for dry season farming.
While the Kebbi state Chairman, Sahabi Augie said that 39,000 rice farmers would benefit from the scheme, his Zamfara state counterpart; Ishaq Ajiya-Anka said that 5,403 farmers would receive the inputs.
Farmers in these states are expected to receive their inputs at designated centres where the items have been stored, within the week, Yabo said.
The chairman urged farmers in the state to remain steadfast as the association push for early supply and distribution of the inputs within the next two weeks
Meanwhile, the National President of RIFAN, Alhaji Aminu Goronyo said, “Margin cards will be used to identify the farmers. This contains biometric data of farmers. There will be no collection of inputs by proxy. All farmers must be present to collect their inputs.”
