No free Loan, Inputs in RIFAN- Ag. Chairman

. Disburse inputs to rice farmers  

The Acting Chairman Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) Taraba state chapter Tanko Bobbo has warns farmers not to be deceived that loans and inputs received will not be paid for.
Bobbo speaking during the  flagged off RIFAN/CBN 2019 wet season distribution/disbursement to rice farmers in Jalingo said the aim is  to assist rice farmers who are  struggling to get one or two litres of herbicides and pay the owner of the herbicides after harvest, ‘RIFAN inputs is not free and will never be free.’

He noted that RIFAN is offering our teeming farmers a full package of inputs on conditions that “he/she deposits 20% cash at Unity Bank RIFAN central Account before he access and take delivery of the inputs. This policy becomes necessary due to the abused of the last 2018 wet season disbursement where farmers were given inputs at zero commitment and later assumed to be a free gift from Buhari.”
 According to him, the approach has change this season because of the attitude and behaviour of last wet season disbursement each farmer must show a level of commitment by at least paying 20% of the total cost of inputs to be collected.

“A real and genuine farmer has nothing to fear  but those that pushes others to collect inputs and sale it will not be happy.No apology to anybody because it wasn't my personal decision but that of the National Headquarters of RIFAN and it is all over the country as per as RIFAN is concern.

The disbursement has started and rice farmers particularly those that were cleared during the last dry season program but were enabled to access the inputs should come forward and get their inputs, subject to the amended policy guidelines.

For those farmers that were profiled recently should wait for mappers to come , immediately after their farms were mapped ,they will also access the inputs in accordance with new guidelines. We have enough inputs that will service the demands of rice farmers in Taraba state.”