By Abbanobi -Eku Onyekachi, Abuja
The Deputy Senate President Barau I. Jibril’s Barau Initiative for Agricultural Revolution in the North West (BIARN) program is set to empower 558 young farmers across the seven North West states in Nigeria.
The Senate President who was represented by his Special Adviser on Policy and Monitoring, Prof Fagge Bashir briefed journalists to that effect on Thursday.
The states that will benefit from this empowerment program are: Kaduna, 69 beneficiaries; Kano,132 beneficiaries; Kebbi, 63 beneficiaries; Katsina,102 beneficiaries; Jigawa, 81 beneficiaries; Sokoto, 69 beneficiaries and; Zamfara, 42 beneficiaries
Each selected beneficiary will receive an interest-free N5 million loan to invest in farming during this year’s cropping season. The total amount to be disbursed is N2.79 billion.
The beneficiaries will be guided in cultivating maize and rice crops, with the goal of boosting food production, reducing food costs, and enhancing food security in the region and nationwide.
