The Wheat Farmers Association of Nigeria (WFAN), Kano State Chairman, Alhaji Faruk Rabiu has disclosed that no fewer than 3, 000 wheat farmers in the State had benefitted from the N100 million state government’s agricultural loan.
Rabiu who revealed that the beneficiaries had since collected seeds, fertilizer, pesticide and other inputs to enable them commence planting during this irrigation season, stressed that based on the agreement and condition attached to the facility no farmer will be given cash.
He explained that the farmers will l only be provided with seeds, fertilizer, pesticides and other inputs to check possible diversion of the money for other purposes, as the association had set up three committees to monitor the activities of the farmers in all the 37 irrigation clusters across the state.
Rabiu emphasized that the association finds it necessary to constitute the committees in order to ensure that the farmers utilised whatever items they collected.
“The first committee was charged with the responsibility of ensuring that the beneficiaries were the real owners of the farms to avoid fraud, while the second committee was mandated to ensure effective monitoring and report their findings to the third committee for any necessary action,” Rabiu said.
The State Chairman reiterated that the measure was necessary to ensure that the farmers make the best use of the facility to boost wheat production in the state, adding that the purpose of the loan is to boost wheat production that is why no farmer was given money but seeds and other requirements. Rabiu however, urged all those who benefitted from the facility to ensure maximum utilisation to enhance wheat production in the state
In the same vein, Alhaji Sale Tsagero, the council’s acting chairman, disclosed that thirty-one groups and 35 individuals have so far benefited from the Federal Government’s Wheat Farming Support Scheme in Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State.
Tsagero who distributed the inputs to the beneficiaries at a ceremony at Faskari, urged the beneficiaries to ensure maximum utilisation of the items, adding that government’s policy of buying back harvested wheat was a stimulus that should encourage farmers to make more investments in wheat production.
Alhaji GarbaDanbako, the chairman of the association in Faskari said the items meant for Faskari included 10 multipurpose threshers, 30 water pumping machines, 50 sprayers, 200 bags of improved wheat seedling and these items are expected to be sold at subsidised rates to beneficiaries.