350,000 families benefit from Anchor Borrower Programme in Kebbi – BOA


The Bank of Agriculture (BOA) says 350,000 families in Kebbi State have benefitted from Anchor Borrower Agricultural Loan disbursed to farmers in the last one year.

Alhaji Muhammad Adamu, the Executive Director of the bank`s Corporate Services made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Birnin Kebbi on Thursday.

He said that 78,000 farmers directly benefitted from the loan, while 350,000 families were affected through job creation and income generation.

He said that under the programme, the state had produced 700, 000 tonnes of rice, adding that the initial production target was one million tonnes.

Adamu said that the loan was meant for every eligible farmer without special consideration such as religion, tribe or creed.

He said that the Anchor Borrower Programme was aimed at promoting food security, economic sustainability and self reliance for the populace.

He said that the bank would soon sign a memorandum of understanding with the Kebbi Government on wheat production.

The Executive Director called on farmers, who benefitted from the loan to hasten the repayment for other farmers to benefit.

He gave assurance that the bank would continue to implement the scheme without prejudice to any farmers.

He commended the farmers for exhibiting maturity and understanding during the first and second disbursements of the loan.

NAN recalls that President Muhammadu Buhari had on Nov. 17, 2015, inaugurated the Anchor Borrower Programme in Birnin Kebbi, to enhance dry season farming in the country.

Buhari had at the occasion frowned at the huge sums spent by Nigeria on the importation of food items that could be produced locally.


He said that the N1 trillion spent on food importation was not sustainable.  

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