The Zamfara state government in Nigeria recently received approval from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to finance 60,000 cotton and rice farmers, according to Alhaji Abdullahi Maiturare, special adviser in the state’s directorate of accelerated cotton development, who recently said the farmers would be financed through their commodity associations.
Maiturare, who is also the chairman of the project management team for Zamfara State/CBN’s Anchor Borrower’s Programme, said 30,000 farmers each from cotton and rice sectors would benefit under this arrangement.
The cotton farmers will be treated under the National Cotton Association of Nigeria (NACOTAN), he was quoted as saying by Nigerian media reports.
The state has dedicated 130,000 hectares of farmland located across its 17 emirate councils for the programme to become a success. In collaboration with the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), it has also procured 4.5 tonnes of improved variety of cottonseed suitable for farmlands, he added.
