The suspensión of Ancho-Borrowers programme by the Central Bank of Nigeria CBN in 2021 affected rice production in Nigeria.
The National Coordinador, Special Project at Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN), Malam Shehu Muazu, revealed this in an interview with Radio Nigeria in Birnin Kebbi.
He said on coming on board the Muhammadu Buhari led administration in 2015 and with the launching of Ancho Borrowers programme, there was total ban on rice importation into Nigeria.
According to him, the Ancho Borrowers programme gives a farmer what it requieres to farm but unforthnately CBN could not sustain the programme.
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He stated that, why the price of rice has gone high in Nigeria was as a result of cost of production by processing industies.
Muazu explains that, Nigeria rice production has reached Nine million tons in 2021 as against three million tons before the launching of the Ancho Borrowers.
The National Coordinador, expected that, the new government of Bola Tinubu to resolve all the tension and differences among the Stakeholders in the agricultural sectores and to integrate government manifestor into various agricultural programme of the country to become national Policy.
He also expect that, the new administration to bring all various agricultural policy together to form single agricultural policy so as to reduce cost and to ensure every ítem in the manifestor to be captured in the Nigeria budget.
Mu’azu expect the present admistration of Tinubu to sustain the Policy of Buhari”s administration and say no to rice importation into the country.