President Muhammadu Buhari has flagged off the distribution of seeds and other input to cotton farmers for 2019 farming season .
The programme is a new initiative by the central bank of Nigeria to grow the nation’s economy through Agriculture with particular focus on boosting cotton production to revive textile businesses.
President Mohammadu Buhari who was represented by the minister of Agriculture and Natural resources, explained that the present administration is determined to reduce poverty and crime through Agricultural development.
It is estimated that in the past, the textile industry was the second largest employer of labour apart from government, but the change in economic circumstances was what led to present uncertainties.
The central bank of Nigeria on its part is working to address the challenges the cotton textile and garment sector have faced in the last twenty years
To this end, the CBN, ministry of agricultural and five other states including katsina kano and kaduna have put in place strategies to drive up cotton production in the next 3 years.
Katsina state Governor Aminu Hello Masari and his kano state counterpart Abdullahi Umar Ganduje lauded the initiative saying agriculture is the quickest way to reduce poverty.
Over one hundred farmers who have cultivated over 200,000 hectares of land are to benefit from a programme expected to drive up cotton production from from 80,000 To 300,000 tones by 2020.
