From Rafiu Sekoni , Ado Ekiti
About 12,000 farmers are set to smile and regain their confidence in the face of insecurity, following the Rice Pyramid Programme in Ekiti State organised by the Central Bank of Nigerian under its Anchor Borrowers Programme.
The CBN Governor, Dr. Godwin Emefiele, who spoke while unveiling the first rice pyramid in the Southwest in Ado Ekiti on Tuesday, said the anchor programme has expanded agriculture production for 21 crops across the States of Nigeria.
In concur with Emefiele were governors of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo state, Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi state, Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa state and Gboyega Oyetola of Osun State. They described the Rice Pyramid Programme as a good vision that would reduce importation and make Nigeria fully independent in food production.
Emefiele said over three million farmers were being financed in production of varieties of products that can improve the economy, provide jobs and increase Nigeria’s imports for foreign exchange earnings.
He said; “Agriculture is profitable today in Nigeria and we will strive to make it profitable for all. We will try to make farm mechanisation readily available to our farmers . We are not only doing rice, we are supporting Cocoa, palm tree. Provision of rural access roads is also part of our target.
“The people of the Southwest must make use of the coming wet season for bountiful harvest”.
Emefiele debunked the widespread impression that some of the agriculture boosting programmes of President Buhari were concentrated in a section of the country.
The CBN Governor clarified that out of N700 billion earmarked for the Anchor Borrowers Programme ,that more than N300 billion has been disbursed in the Southern part of the country, for the expansion of food production.
In his remarks, Governor Fayemi said that rice clearing, production of seedling and farm implements at low implements at low interest will enhance rice value chain from primary producers to processors.
“It will also help in tackling poverty and insecurity, enhance economic diversification, foreign exchange earnings and forex policy and curtail cross border banditry, ” he said, adding
“In the past , Ekiti is recognised as a rice producing state. We want to change the narrative and restore the lost glory by moving farming from mere subsistent to profitable business, that was why we are mobilising our farmers to benefit from the Rice Borrowers Programme.
“We want to increase rice production in Ekiti from 473,000 metric tonnes annually to 1.5 million metric tonnes . We are doing this in partnership with JMK, Dangote and Stallion Rice Mills, their plants are already in Ekiti.
“We are directly producing 12,000 jobs for our farmers, who will in turn provide jobs for another 50,000 persons between now and 2023”.
Governor Akeredolu, in his contributions, said Ekiti has always been known for rice production, saying this programme will return the lost glory and redirect the state to the right path of economic greatness.
He appealed for support in the area of land clearing.
He said; “But our main problem down south is problem of land clearing. Please, treat us specially here, because to clear the lands is not that easy. We will leave no stone unturned to develop agriculture in the Southwest”, he said .
The Governor of Osun State, Gboyega Oyetola, said the programme will enhance food sufficiency, diversification programme of the government and good security status.
The Governor of Kebbi, Bagudu, said the success of the rice production was due to strong collaboration between the federal government, especially CBN and the governors.
