By Idebaneria Cynthia
The Katsina State Government says it has invested N200 million in rice and cotton production under the Anchor Borrowers Programme in the state.
Dr Abba Abdullahi, the Special Adviser to Gov. Aminu Masari on Agriculture, disclosed this in Katsina on Tuesday, at the opening of a town hall meeting on the programme.
The town hall meeting was organised by the state government in conjunction with the Central Bank of Nigeria ( CBN ), the co-sponsor of anchor borrowers programme.
“We have rice and cotton farmers that collected the CBN loan under the anchor borrowers programme to boost rice and cotton production and the programme needed supervision.
“We used the funds to supervise and inspect all the rice and cotton farms in the 34 local government areas of the state.
“The Katsina state government also purchased over 35 motorcycles for extension workers to visit rice and cotton farmers with the aim of offering pieces of advice to them,” he said.
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Abdullahi said that part of the fund was used for the repair of 15 vehicles for officers involved in supervising the extension workers.
Earlier, Alhaji Shehu Musawa, the Managing Director, State Agricultural and Rural Development Project (KATARDA), said the stakeholders’ meeting was to review how the programme fared during the rainy season.
“Anchor borrowers programme has achieved the desired goal in the state as it has boosted rice and cotton production.
“We are expecting bumper harvest of cotton and rice in the state,” Abdullahi said.
In his contribution, Keystone Bank’s representative, Malam Ahmed Musa, said that the bank would continue to support agricultural programmes in the state.