Birnin Kebbi, – The Kebbi Government on Friday warned farmers against diversion of fertiliser and directed security agencies to impound any consignment of water pumping machines and fertiliser illegally diverted from the state.
The Permanent Secretary, State’s Ministry of Agriculture, Dr Adamu Na-baba, gave warning at the interactive session between government officials and farmers engaged in the CBN anchored borrowers programme in Birnin Kebbi.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that farmers had alleged that facilities for the successful implementation of the programme were being diverted from the state.
Na-Baba lamented that reports had revealed the diversion of the facilities by dubious farmers and coordinators.
He said that the Federal Government had selected the state to spearhead the new CBN anchored borrowers programme to boost rice and wheat production in the state.
“The diversion of water pumping machine or fertiliser out of the state was tantamount to a criminal act to discredit the state,” he said.[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”70560″]
He said farmers, millers and financial institutions were expected to agree on the price of rice and wheat, stressing that agreement reached between farmers and the state would be reviewed.
The Chairman of the state Wheat Farmers Association, Alhaji AbdullahI Maigandu, said that the farmers had embraced the programme and called for its sustenance for long term benefits.
He, however, identified water management as a major challenge to the farmers, adding, “N30, 000 was spent by each farmer to supply water on one hectare of farmland.
“The amount is too much for rural farmers and we call for relief to the farmers on this issue,” he said.
Maigandu also called on stakeholders to agree on the accepted price of the commodity and commended the State and Federal Government for the programme. (NAN).