CBN Disburses N680 Million To 3,500 Cassava Farmers In Ogun

 

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), through the Ogun State Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP), has disbursed N680 million to 3,500 cassava farmers in the last six weeks.

The Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun confirmed this at the launch of the 2020 planting season at Agro Services Corporation, Asero, Abeokuta.

Abiodun stated that 2,497 farmers in March were credited with N500million by the CBN; and N180million was sent to 900 farmers on Wednesday, 29th April 2020 by the CBN which leaves the remaining balance of N20million to be credited to 103 farmers.

“In the past three weeks, a total of 3,500 Ogun ABP nominees have been credited with funds and linked with inputs (weed killers and fertilizer) and fields ready for tilling and planting of improved and disease-resistant cassava varieties to be supplied.

“Already, 2,497 farmers were credited with N500million in March 2020 by CBN; an additional payment of over N180million was credited to additional 900 farmers on Wednesday, 29th April 2020 by the CBN. This leaves a remaining balance of N20million to be credited to 103 farmers.

“Also, a total of 3,500 farmers would represent the first phase of disbursement of fund to cassava farmers who claimed to own their farmland; and have been mapped and geo-tagged by the CBN to totally eliminate the issue of fake and absentee farmers.

“I am proud to say that Ogun State is running an exemplary Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP) that is transparent and a not-business-as-usual type. Our extension agents have identified and located all 3,500 cassava farms for hitch-free input distribution and allocation.

“The system put in place by the state government, CBN and the National Cassava Growers Association (NCGA), is technology-driven and gives no room for sale and diversion of inputs.

“Let me reassure all of us that we will fulfill our earlier promise of providing free supplementary extension services. In addition, to those embedded in the Economy of Production (EoP) for ABP, we will ensure that Ogun State farmers attain a high competitive yield that guarantees profitability which encourages continuous engagement in the value chains.

“We have also provided linkage to credit and input which will follow preferred crops by off-takers; financial anchors and offtake; and market capacities,’’ Abiodun said.

The state’s Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr. Adeola Odedina, commended the administration of the state governor and said the beneficiaries were the first batch of Cassava Value Chain (CVC) under the programme to have received inputs.

Congratulating the beneficiaries, Odedina said: “This has informed the government’s drive towards ensuring the state’s participation in the ongoing Anchor Borrowers’ Programme of the Federal Government through the CBN intervention fund.

“This programme has registered over 60,000 participants in Ogun State across seven value chains, which includes cassava.

“To date, N680 million has been disbursed by the CBN to 3,500 cassava farmers in Ogun State in the last six weeks.

“Inputs would be received by beneficiaries at the point of use to maintain the integrity of the Ogun State Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP).”