Flour Milling Association announces plans to establish procurement centres in 15 states
The Flour Milling Association of Nigeria (FMAN) has said it would establish procurement centres across 15 northern states to take wheat grains from up to 150,000 farmers under the CBN Anchor Borrowers’ Program (ABP).
Speaking during the annual green field day event at Gawon-Bature in Dambatta Local Government Area of Kano State, National Programme Manager, Wheat Development Project, Dr. Aliyu Samaila, said the programme was being implemented through the APB initiated by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Recall that earlier in 2021, the CBN flagged-off the first ever rain-fed wheat programme in the country, seeking to slash the importation of the food commodity by 60 per cent as well as save $2 billion annually in foreign exchange. According to the CBN, the programme will benefit over 150,000 farmers and would be implemented in 15 states of the federation for a start.
The CBN has also set aside over N5.7 billion loan to 10,000 farmers to encourage dry season wheat farming in Bauchi State with 4,500 farmers benefited so far in the state.
Between September and October 2021, under the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme, the bank disbursed N43.19 billion to support the cultivation of 250,000 hectares of maize, sogum, soyabeans and rice during the 2021 dry season farming and N5.88 billion to finance six large scale agricultural project under the commercial agricultural agri-business scheme.
Between September and October 2021, under the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme (ABP), the bank disbursed N43.19 billion to support the cultivation of over 250,000 hectares of maize, sorghum, soya beans and rice during the 2021 dry season; and N5.88 billion to finance six large scale agricultural projects under the Commercial Agriculture Credit Scheme (CACS).
According to Samaila, the country requires a strong vision backed by clear roles and responsibilities for all stakeholders, added that FMAN would organise state-wide field days in all their major areas of operations to bring together key stakeholders in order to address challenges and learn from each other.
“The programme adopted proactive farmer support services to sustainably encourage wheat production and yields per hectre, to enable it to compete with rice and other dry season crops in the 2021-22 dry season activities.
“The programme has resulted in cultivation of 504 demonstration farms each on 0.5 ha across the 15 states to provide training on Good Agronomic Practices (GAP) to 250,000 farmers under the CBN ABP,” he explained.
In his remark, Alhaji Salim Muhammad, National President, Wheat Farmers Association of Nigeria, commended FMAN and the CBN for the wheat farmers’ support programme.
