The Ekiti State Chapter of the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) has distributed farm inputs worth over N80million as loans to no fewer than 174 rice farmers under the CBN’s farmers Anchor Borrowers Program.
Rotimi Kolawole, state coordinator, RIFAN who made this known in Ado Ekiti, said that the beneficiaries were currently cultivating 400 hectares of rice farms, adding that the farmers are expected to harvest a yield of over 1600 tonnes this season.
Kolawole expressed gratitude to the state government for supporting rice cultivation which is thriving in the state.
Kolapo Olusola the deputy governor had led several other relevant public officers on solidarity visits to the farms.
According to Kolawole, the second phase of the programme would commence immediately adding that interested farmers could obtain expression of interest forms at any of the offices of the State Agricultural Development Programme (ADP) in their locality.
In his remarks, Kehinde Odebunmi, the state commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development charged the benefiting farmers to use the farm inputs judiciously, stressing that they must be conscious of their loan repayment plans and avoid unnecessary complications that may arise due to negligence.
The commissioner said that the government would continue to support farming adding that the focus was to guarantee food security and productively engage youths in the State.
Odebunmi assured that government would also continually provide technical and extension services to the farmers towards achieving maximum yield possible and to also prevent misuse of inputs.
He noted that agriculture remained a veritable option to productively engage youths and consequently reduce the challenge of unemployment adding that the programme would encourage youth participation in commercial Agriculture.
Inputs distributed to the farmers include napsak sprayers, seeds, surface water pump and accessories as well as herbicides and fertilizers.
Akinremi Feyisipo, Ibadan
