The Barau Initiative for Agricultural Revolution in the North West (BIARN), and the Bank of Agriculture (BOA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to enhance food security by creating a new generation of young farmers.
Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau I. Jibrin, Ismail Mudashir announced this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja shortly after the signing of the MoU which he said was meant to revolutionise agriculture in the North Western region of the country
The statement said the partnership would empower 558 young and mid-level farmers in the northwest region with the aim of transforming them into successful millionaires, adding that in doing that it would also address food security, unemployment, and economic growth in the area and the entire nation.
Mudashir said Deputy Senate President attended the signing ceremony of the MoU, adding that the Chairman of the scheme’s implementation committee, Professor Bashir Mohammed Fagge, who led the and BoA Managing Director, Alhaji Alwan Ali Hassan signed the MoU.
The statement said “under the scheme, each beneficiary will receive a loan of up to N5 million to cultivate maize or rice with high yields and proven high-profit margins.”
Speaking after the signing ceremony, Senator Barau reiterated that the initiative aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly in food security and youth empowerment.
He said the programme will target youths, including unemployed holders of Higher National Diploma (HND), bachelor’s, master’s degrees, and PhD, adding that “I decided to bring forward this initiative in line with the President’s resolve to bring about food security in this country, and in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr. President.
” It is one of the cardinal programs of this administration, boosting agriculture and providing food for the citizens of this country.
“It is in line with these that I decided to bring forward this initiative. Not only that, it is an avenue to provide jobs for our teeming youths to become agricultural entrepreneurs because the intention, apart from providing food, is to make successful millionaires out of our teeming youths who are unemployed because we decided that those who will be involved in this scheme are holders of HND, bachelor’s degree, master’s and PhD, who are from the region.”
Senator Barau praised President Tinubu for boosting the BOA’s capital base by 1.5 trillion Naira and the Managing Director of the Bank of Agriculture for his dedication to the scheme.
“I also want to use the opportunity to commend Mr. President for boosting the capital base of the Bank of Agriculture by N1.5 trillion. This demonstrates Mr. President’s resolve to enhance agriculture in this country. Mr. President is serious. He has a passion to turn around the agricultural fortunes of this country for the better,” he said.
Speaking earlier, the MD of BoA assured Senator Barau that his initiative on the loan scheme would be well implemented and coordinated to attain food security in the country in line with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“BoA is very happy with the initiative to revolutionise agriculture in the Northwest geopolitical zone and raise 558 young farmers millionaires in the area of Maize and Rice cultivation,” he said.
