The Adamawa State chapter of Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria, Special Project (RIFAN) flagged off its distribution of Farm Inputs, Thursday, at Ganye Local Government Area.

The State Coordinator of RIFAN, Wafari Theman along with the partners of the project, Central Bank of Nigeria, Unity Bank and stakeholders conducted the flag off ceremony.

The delegation paid a courtesy call on the Gangwari Ganye, Alhaji Adamu Sanda at his palace. Speaking at the .palace of the Gangwari, Hon. Wafari Theman intimated the Paramount ruler on the activities of RIFAN and the ceremonial flag off of the distribution of farm implements for wet season farming.

Wafari told the Gangwari that the choice of Ganye is deliberate because of its large composition of small holder farmers in rice cultivation.
He called on the Gangwari to support the project and thanked him for his role in the identification of real farmers in his domain.

Responding, Gangwari Ganye, Alhaji Adamu Sanda appreciated President Muhammadu Buhari for supporting rice farmers in Nigeria. He underscored the fact that Ganye has a very large land for paddy rice farming and thanked RIFAN for choosing Ganye as venue for it’s official flag off. He promised to support RIFAN in all its activities in his chiefdom.

As a mark of honour and bravery, the Gangwari presented a Bow and Arrow to Wafari Theman and also local farming implements of Chamba people. He asked, Wafari to use the symbols to win battles and to enlarge in food production.

At the flag off ceremony, the Representative of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Adamu Yusuf, called on the farmers to embrace the project and make good of every implement they will receive, he reiterated the need for the farmers to pay back the loan with farm produce in time, Yusuf advised RIFAN to ensure prompt distribution and applauded the transparent process adopted by the Wafari led RIFAN.

Also speaking, Abbas Ibrahim representing Unity Bank, said in the year 2020 Adamawa State benefitted over 2 billion Naira. He encouraged the farmers to pay back with farm produce as agreed to support the Millers for sustainability of the program.

The Adamawa State treasurer of RIFAN, Ibrahim Bilal, said the new leadership of RIFAN has adopted a transparent and open process in the distribution of farm inputs unlike what is obtainable in the past. Emphasized the need for the farmers to ensure that they follow laid down procedure and pay back their loan in time so as to keep benefitting from the intervention all year round.

He thanked Wafari for the transparent process and sincerity in coordinating the activities of RIFAN in the State.

Mallam Abdulazeez, the chairman of rice Millers Association Adamawa State, says they are ready to buy the rice produce from the farmers and mill it in the state so as to create jobs in the state. He added that Millers in the state are optimistic that the farmers will pay back with rice produce and offer them the excess to buy.

While flagging off the distribution, Wafari Theman, thanked the federal Government for  introducing the program through the CBN.

Wafari enumerated the benefits of the RIFAN – CBN Special Project. he disclosed that the project is targeting 100, 000 farmers in the state, adding that, the projection is at an average of 80 bags of rice per hectare of rice paddy.

He reiterated the need for benefitting farmers to repay their loan so as to sustain the project.