“Nigeria has capacity to Produce Enough Rice
For West Africa” Says Competitive African Rice
Initiative"
Mr Abraham Odoom, Policy
Advisor, Competitive African Rice Initiative
(CARI) says Nigeria has the capacity to
produce enough rice for consumption in the
West African Sub-region.
Odoom stated this at the formal inauguration
of the Nigerian Rice Policy Advocacy
Platform in Kano, Kano State on Thursday.
He said based on empirical evidence on
ground, two states in Nigeria could produce
the required rice to feed the West African
Sub-region without necessarily importing the
commodity. He said Nigeria’s foreign
exchange earnings has been taking heavy
toll due to importation of rice.
Odoom described Nigeria as a blessed nation
with abundant arable land and water for
massive production of rice.
He said with the appalling slump in oil
prices, it would be absolutely necessary for
the country to promote the importation of
rice.
“The issue of unemployment can be
effectively tackled if the much needed
leverage is secured by indigenous farmers
willing to prove their worth on rice
production,” Odoom said.
He said CARI was ready to conduct its
activity on rice production and rice value
chain, based on research as a way of
creating adequate awareness among
farmers.
Odoom said that with the required indices
taken into cognizance, the future of rice
production in the state is bright.
Earlier in his remarks, the state
Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural
Resources, Dr Nasir Gawuna, said the state
government would continue to give special
attention to agriculture to boost food
production.
Gawuna was represented at the occasion by
the Permanent Secretary in the ministry,
Hajiya Binta Rabiu.
The commissioner said the state government
had recently given Rice Farmers Association
in the state N1billion soft loan to enhance
rice production.
Source ;N T A NeWS