No fewer than 12,000 farmers are to benefit from the Rice Pyramid Programme in Ekiti State, as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Tuesday flagged off the programme in the state, with a vision to finance over three million rice farmers to boost production and improve the agriculture value chain.
This came as the Governors of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo), Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), Mohammed Badaru Abubakar (Jigawa), and Gboyega Oyetola of Osun State described the Rice Pyramid Programme as a good vision that would reduce import and make Nigeria fully independent in food production.
The CBN Governor, Dr. Godwin Emefiele, who spoke while unveiling the first rice pyramid in the South-west in Ado Ekiti on Tuesday, said the Anchor Borrowers Programme has expanded agriculture production for 21 crops across the states of Nigeria.
Emefiele said over three million farmers were being financed in the production of varieties of products that can improve the economy, provide jobs and increase Nigeria’s imports for foreign exchange earnings.
The CBN governor said he understood that there was prohibition of land clearing in the South-west, adding that some governors have accessed the sum of N1.5 billion each to undertake such policy in their states.
“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.
According to the CBN governor, “The CBN is ready to make agriculture attractive to the youths and we will facilitate the programme that can ease access to credit facilities, so that their enthusiasm for farming can be realised.
“Our future is bright as a country, but we must take those good concept that can make us attain self sufficiency in food production, but attaining this will not come easy or cheaply. Let us continue to enter into partnership for us to achieve this.”
Speaking about the importance of agriculture, the Governor of Jigawa State, Abubakar, stated that for Nigeria to progress, it must produce to substitute importation.
