The Nigeria Central Bank – CBN and the Sokoto State Government had spent over N1.12 billion on the 2016/2017 Anchor Borrowers Wheat Farming Programme, an Official said in Sokoto on Thursday.
The Chairman of the Framework Committee on Agricultural Development in the State, Alhaji Chiso Abdullahi, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria.
Abdullahi, a former Deputy Governor of the state, said that out of the amount, the apex bank contributed about N990 million, while the state government provided over N125 million.
According to him, no fewer than 4,305 farmers are benefiting from the gesture for the season that commenced Nov. 2016 and will end in the first week of Feb. 2017.
“The state government had since distributed over 1500 bags of wheat seeds free to the farmers across the state.
“In the same vein, the state government had sold additional 2,094 bags of wheat seeds to the farmers, with each bag bought at N 35,000 and sold at N 18,219.
“The government had also given assorted fertilisers to the farmers at highly subsidised rates as well as other farm inputs,” he said.
The chairman further said that the farmers had been fully trained, while adequate extension officers were provided for them, with each farmer billed to get a package of N 235,000 in cash and kind.
He further stated that both the CBN and the state government have made adequate arrangements to provide all the logistics needed for the success of the programme.
Abdullahi added that the state government has also bought 3,000 water pumps and sold to tomatoes farmers at highly subsidised prices.
He said that each water pump was bought at N42, 000 and sold to the beneficiaries at N10, 000.
“In the same vein, the state government had bought 6,000 bags of fertilisers for sale to the tomatoes farmers at subsidised prices.
“The state government has also concluded arrangements to establish a mini-tomatoes paste production company in the state.
“All these are being done in the bid to have more value addition, reduce poverty and unemployment, curb post-harvest losses and boost food security in the state,” Abdullahi said.