The Central Bank Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, has expressed the readiness of the apex bank to provide a wide range of agricultural opportunities for the country by assisting state governments not only in the areas of rice and cassava production but most importantly in the development of livestock and diary business.

The CBN Governor gave the indication in an interview shortly after a closed-door meeting with the Governor of Niger State, Abubakar Sani Bello, on Thursday in Abuja.

He explained that under the livestock and diary development programme, the apex bank is wants to encourage the production of milk from different parts of the country beginning with Niger state.

“We intend, hopefully, to get Mr. President to come in to launch the first Grazing Reserve that is going to be resuscitated under the programme that we are putting in place,” Emefiele said. He added that funding would be provided by the CBN to the private sector entities adding that they would be expected to recover their money from the milk that is going to be sourced from the livestock.

“The private sector will work directly with the CBN and the state. They will invest by providing the pastures, seedlings and the infrastructure that will also guarantee constant supply of water to enhance the production of quality milk,” he further said.

Also speaking, Governor Sani Bello expressed optimism in the ability of the CBN to facilitate the take-off of such massive project in the state adding that the apex bank has initiated different programmes to promote agriculture in the country.

He said there was no going back on development of grazing reserves in the state because it is the best solution to curtail the Herders/Farmers conflict and also develop one of our areas of comparative economic advantage.

“We will develop our grazing reserves where we can keep the herders and provide the infrastructure so that they can get better yield with regards to milk and beef,” Governor Sani Bello said.

He confirmed that the state government will, in the next three months, flag off its over 30,000 hectares grazing reserve in Bobi, Mariga Local Government Area of the state, adding that government is also in the process of gazetting seven other grazing reserves in parts of the state.

“We have about 20 grazing reserves in the state, only two (Bobi and Girin) have been gazette but hopefully, overtime, we’ll develop others,” he said.

He stated that developing the grazing reserves also provides opportunity to the private sector to invest and put in daily services in the dairy and beef production assuring that, shortly, the state will start showcasing that the project is economically viable and can also address conflicts between herders and farmers.

“I think, in the long run we are on the right track and we are getting all the necessary support from the CBN. Hopefully, within the shortest possible time, we’ll see some result,” the governor stated.

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