ANAMBRA STATE GOVT DISBURSES #2BN CBN COMMERCIAL AGRIC CREDIT TO FARMERS
Reporter: ONYINYE CHIJIOBI
Anambra State Government has disbursed about two billion niara cheques to farmers in the area.
Similarly, farm implements worth hundreds of thousand of naira were equally distributed to some farmers.
Governor Willie Obiano performed the ceremonies during the 2020 World Food Day/Agricultural Show and Formal Launch of Dry Season Farming at Alex Ekwueme Square Awka.
Also the State agricultural compendium was launched at the events.
The Governor while disbursing the cheques to cooperative societies noted that agriculture was the number one pillar of his economic blueprint.
The Governor explained that the cheques were for beneficiaries of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) funded commercial agricultural credit scheme and threshing machines to farmers.
He pointed out that the funds and the threshing machines would make a significant contribution to the current rice production in the state.
Governor Obiano noted that his administration would continue to build on the solid foundation his administration had laid in agriculture to expand the state capacity and fulfill the great promise of having agriculture as the number one pillar of his economic blueprint
The Governor expressed joy that the state rice production output had risen from eighty thousand metric tones per annum in 2014 to four hundred and forty thousand metric tones.
The Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr. Nnamdi Onukwuba, while expantiating on the theme of the celebration, which was “Industrial Cluster Farming for Agric Business Sustainability,” expressed joy that government had approved the implementation of the short term strategy designed by the ministry towards cushioning the effect of COVID-19 pandemic in the state.
He maintained that
adequate arrangements were in place to provide more access to capital intensive farm machineries to farmers to enable the state to meet the target of agricultural transformation agenda through land development, seed multiplication among others.
The Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Audu Ogbeh, represented by Mr. Kelix Felix, commended the state government for investing in the agricultural sector.
He explained that the ministry was ready to partner Anambra State Government.
The Governor of Central Bank of Nigerian (CBN) Mr. Godwin Emefele, represented by Mr. Sunday Ogbu, maintained that the apex bank had established a good working relationship with the state government through SMEs to boost agriculture.