FMAN Guarantees Off-take Of Wheat Produced By Farmers

By Salisu K Ismail

The Flour Milling Association of Nigeria has vowed to offtake all wheat produced by the 150,000 farmers engaged under the federal government's Anchor Borrower program.

This was disclosed by the Chairman of the Flour Milling Association of Nigeria FMAN, Mr. John Coumantaros who was represented by Mr. Segun Falade during a green/brownfield day in Gabarin, Ringim Local Government Area of Jigawa State.

According to him, the association is establishing procurement centers across 15 Northern states that include Kano, Jigawa Kebbi, Sokoto, Bauchi, Adamawa, Katsina, Gombe, Plateau, Taraba, Zamfara, Niger, and Yobe.

The Chairman said, to expand wheat production in the country the association engaged in the “ cultivation of 504 demonstration farms each on 0.5ha across 15 northern states to provide training on good Agronomic Practices to 250,000 farmers under the CBN Anchor Borrower Program.”

Mr. John added that six seeds production companies were engaged on the reserve and production of quality Wheat seed  while all necessary arrangement are put in place to buy all the wheat produced by farmers in a competitive and profitable price.

In his speech the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Godwin Emifele said, the apex bank is committed to ensuring Nigeria achieved self-reliance in terms of wheat production and food security.

The CBN Governor who was represented by Branch Controller Hajayi Saadatu Ibrahim inuwa said since the introduction of national agricultural policy under the President Muhammad Buhari's mantra of 'We must Produce what we eat and we must eat what we produced" CBN has distributed loan amounting to over N975 billion out of which Jigawa farmers accessed over N42 billion.

The Governor maintained that to achieve zero percent wheat importation and 100% food security, emphasis must be given to the promotion of access to modern farming techniques, improved seeds, and financial services to farmers and agro-allied industries, "CBN has been passionate on these'/he declared

In his speech, the Jigawa state governor who was represented by his deputy Malam Umar Nadi commended FMAN and CBN for their kind intervention in the agricultural sector which is in line with the state government policy on leveraging the advantage of the sector to eradicate poverty and create wealth.