Danbala Danja, managing director of Bank of Agriculture (BOA), has urged the Federal Government to sustain the ban on the importation of rice in order to boost local production.

This is even as Danja said that the bank has expended about N12 billion to encourage more rice production during the raining season.

He also disclosed that about 300, 000 rice farmers in thirteen states will benefit from the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Anchor Borrowers Programme.

Danja revealed in an interview with some select journalists in Kaduna, that the programme has already taken off, adding that various associations concerned have already raised the required number of farmers.

The MD said the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) required no fewer than 300,000 registered farmers before disbursing the fund.

The thirteen states to benefit include Niger, Nasarawa, Kogi, Benue, Katsina, Kebbi, Kano, Zamfara, Kaduna, Ebonyi, Imo, Anambra, Cross river and Akwa Ibom.

He recalled that the government inaugurated the programme in November 2015 in Kebbi as part of efforts to boost rice and wheat production in the country.

According to him, what we are trying to do is that we piloted in Kebbi, now having seen the success in Kebbi, we are now focusing on 13 states of the federation, and we have a target number of about 300,000 farmers. We are requesting huge sums from the CBN so that we can support the small-scale farmers.

“ We also plan to request some money from CBN to support large scale farmers. Put simply, we are working with different states to identify the target number of farmers in each of the state. And on the basis of this agreement with the CBN, we will then request for funding.

We are assured by the CBN that once we present the list of farmers with the BVN, we will be supported with the requisite sum of money.