Senator Barau Unveils N2.79bn Loan for Farmers

Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Jibrin Barau (APC, Kano North), has introduced a N2.79 billion interest-free loan scheme to support farmers across the 186 local government areas in the seven states of the Northwest.

The initiative seeks to improve food security and assist young agricultural entrepreneurs in the region.

Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Thursday, Barau’s Special Adviser on Policy and Monitoring, Professor Bashir Muhammad Fagge, announced that the program, named the Barau Initiative for Agricultural Revolution in the Northwest (BIARN), will provide financial support to 558 young farmers.

“Each beneficiary will receive an interest-free N5 million loan to invest in farming this season. The total sum of N2.79 billion will be disbursed to beneficiaries,” Barau stated.

The distribution of beneficiaries includes 132 from Kano, 102 from Katsina, 81 from Jigawa, 69 each from Kaduna and Sokoto, 63 from Kebbi, and 42 from Zamfara.

Barau described food security as essential to individual and national stability.

“Decades ago, the North, especially the Northwest, was the country’s food basket, producing agricultural products for consumption and export. Unfortunately, that is now history. This initiative aims to restore the region’s agricultural prominence,” he said.

The program will focus on maize and rice cultivation, aiming to increase yields and lower food costs.

“The beneficiaries will be guided in cultivating maize and rice to achieve optimal yields. This will significantly boost food production, reduce the cost of food items, and contribute to national food security,” he added.

Barau’s foundation, the Barau I Jibrin Foundation (BIJF), is working with a national financial institution to implement the scheme, which is scheduled to launch fully in April 2025 ahead of the farming season.

Explaining the broader significance of the initiative, Barau stressed its potential to equip youth and reshape agriculture in the region.

“The central concept behind this scheme is to revolutionize agricultural production in northwestern Nigeria by empowering youths with a background in agriculture,” he concluded.