Kebbi, BOA to finance rice value chain with N2bn

Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Bank of Agriculture (BOA), Professor Dambala Danju, said Kebbi State government and his bank would contribute N2 billion (N1 billion each) to finance rice value chain. He disclosed this in an interview in Birnin Kebbi, during President Muhammadu Buhari’s flag -off of the 2015/2016 dry season rice and wheat farming as […]

Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Bank of Agriculture (BOA), Professor Dambala Danju, said Kebbi State government and his bank would contribute N2 billion (N1 billion each) to finance rice value chain.
He disclosed this in an interview in Birnin Kebbi, during President Muhammadu Buhari’s flag -off of the 2015/2016 dry season rice and wheat farming as well as the CBN Anchor Borrowers’ programme which is a financing model for small holder farmers in the state.
“In Kebbi State, like 11 other states of the federation, the bank packaged a collaboration fund requiring each partner (BOA and Kebbi State government) to contribute N1 billion each.
“The pool was expected to finance the rice value chain, amongst other competing agricultural activities, throughout the state,” he said.
He said since the commencement of activities of the bank, following its resuscitation in 2001, a total of N61.2 billion has been disbursed to about 760 enterprises.
In his remarks, Governor Atiku Bagudu said Kebbi State is the leading rice producing state in the county, which according to him “is attested to by the CBN Governor and the Rice Millers   Association of Nigeria during their visit to see the products and also to test the moisture contents of the paddy rice produced by Kebbi farmers.”
He assured of the readiness of farmers in the state to produce rice that can serve the needs of the country.