BoA begins farm inputs distribution to 500,000 farmers in 20 states

Bank of Agriculture (BoA) has started distributing fertilisers, maize seeds and crop protection products to about 500,000 smallholder farmers in more than 20 states across the country.

The programme is under the Renewed Hope Smallholder Support and Value Chain Fund of Federal Government.

Ayo Sotinrin, the Chief Executive of the bank, announced this at the commencement of the distribution exercise in Karau-Karau, Giwa Local Government Area of Kaduna State

He said the intervention is to support the cultivation of about 520,000 hectares of farmland and generate an estimated 2.6 million tonnes of additional food for the country.

The BoA boss, who was represented by Osho Adekunle, the Divisional Head of Finance and Strategy in the bank, said the intervention formed part of a nationwide agricultural support programme designed to strengthen the country’s food production capacity.

“The intervention formed part of a nationwide programme targeting nearly 500,000 farmers, who will cultivate about 520,000 hectares of farmland, with an expected output of at least 2.6 million tonnes of additional food for Nigeria’s food basket

“The programme has already recorded significant progress, with close to 200,000 farmers financed, while 1.8 million bags of fertiliser and 329,000 bags of quality, high-yielding seeds were being distributed through 20 Farmer Aggregation Companies in more than 20 states.

“This initiative is a concrete expression of the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr President, a policy that moves beyond promises to deliver structure, funding and institutional support for agriculture.

“It tells every Nigerian farmer that they are not alone, as the government and its institutions stand with them from the soil to the market,” he said.