A total of 1,056 wheat farmers have received farming input from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) under the Anchor Borrower scheme.
The Anchor Borrower Programme is a federal government’s agricultural initiative implemented by the CBN in partnership with the farmers’ association.
Speaking during the distribution in Yola, yesterday, the CBN representative, Usman Jalo, said the project was introduced to help conserve Nigeria’s external reserve and to make the country one of the world’s leading producers of wheat.
“About 90% of the wheat we consume is imported. Our target is for Nigeria to be one of the largest producers of wheat in the world,” Usman said.
The North East vice-chairman, Wheat Farmers and Processors Association of Nigeria, Ahmad Muhammad, commended CBN for supporting farmers to improve local food production.
“We have 1,050 hectares in Adamawa; that is one hectare for each farmer and we are expecting three tons from each hectare; one ton is going to the farmer and two is coming to the association, we will sell it and pay our loans,” he said.
In his remark, the secretary, Adamawa State chapter of the association, Muhammad Faisal, said farmers could harvest between 4.5 and 5 tons per hectare of the improved seedlings and that other inputs provided were applied in accordance with the laid down procedures.
Inputs distributed included improved seedlings, pesticides, fertiliser and water pumping machines.
