AgricultureFoodCentral Bank Of Nigeria To Cultivate Over 500,000 Hectares Of Farmland In Northeast

https://www.westafricanpilotnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/CBN-HQ-Abuja-06-11-20-1280x853.jpg

MAIDUGURI — Northeast Zonal Coordinator, Development Finance Department of the Central Bank of Nigeria CBN Mr. Mahmood Nyako has commenced mapping of over 500,000 hecters of farmland for the cultivation of rice in the northeast cropping season.

Nyako disclosed this during a meeting with the leadership of Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria RIFAN, Borno state chapter in Maiduguri.

He expressed confidence that with the special programme embarked by the Central Bank for the dry and wet season farming, prices of food items will begin to come down.

 “With the relative peace in the region, the Bank is targeting 100,000 hecters for Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Yobe and Taraba states while Borno was earmarked 20,000 hectares for rice cultivation.”

 “The Central Bank has engaged some service providers to embark on land mapping to verify availability of land, genuineness of farmers, input distribution as well as extension services for optimum yield.”

“As at now, about 90 -95% of the rice consumed in Nigeria is locally produced, so with this massive production by RIFAN and other sister associations and prime anchors that are coming up under rice, am very sure the price will crash”. Nyako added.

In their separate remarks, Charman Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria RIFAN Borno state branch, Alhaji Goni Modu, and Chairman Input Recovery of the Association, Alhaji Musa Azavuwa disclosed that so far, the Association has recovered about 10,000 bags of rice cultivated in the dry season.

According to them, with the support of the federal government, more than 2,000 farmers have participated in rice farming.

Hassan Umar Shallpella (Regional Correspondent)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

WP2Social Auto Publish Powered By : XYZScripts.com