”How I made a fortune from rice farming”
Former Head of Civil Service of Kebbi State, Buhari Jega said he made a fortune from rice farming under the Federal Government Anchor Borrowing Programme. Jega told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) after the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed and a team of journalists were conducted round a 20 km stretch […]
Former Head of Civil Service of Kebbi State, Buhari Jega said he made a fortune from rice farming under the Federal Government Anchor Borrowing Programme.
Jega told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) after the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed and a team of journalists were conducted round a 20 km stretch rice farms in Jega near Birnin Kebbi that he ventured into rice farming after leaving office.
NAN reports that the Minister who led the journalists to Kebbi for on hand assessment of the agricultural revolution in the state was guided by the state Commissioner for Agriculture, Alhaji Mohammed Dandiga.
The retired civil servant said he ventured into rice farming after leaving office and he took advantage of the supports by the federal and state governments through the Anchor Borrowing Programme.
NAN reports that the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Anchor Borrowers’ Programme was launched by President Muhammadu Buhari on Nov. 17, 2015 in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi.
Under the programme, the CBN is setting aside 40 billion Naira out of the 220 billion Naira Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Fund to be given to farmers at single digit interest rate of maximum nine per cent per annum.
It is designed to provide funds, seedlings, fertiliser, agro equipment and extension services to registered farmers.
Jega said he is a proud owner of three rice farms within his community each measuring 13 hectares, 10 hectares and seven hectares respectively.
“During harvests in 2017, I got 400 bags of rice from the 13 hectares farm, 200 bags from the 10 hectares farm because I planted other produce on it and 150 bags of rice from the 10 hectares,” he said.
Jega advised workers to consider farming as their post retirement venture and start planning for it early while in active service.