The Federal Government, yesterday, inaugurated the National Rice Development Strategy (NRDS ll), to achieve self-sufficiency in rice production.
The government also inaugurated the Competitive African Rice Platform (CARP) – Nigeria, dedicated to the productivity and sustainability of the rice industry.
The CARP Nigeria, aims to improve the competitiveness of locally-grown rice through economic, social, environmental and policy avenues.
Speaking, the Minister of State for Agriculture, Mustapha Shehuri, said the NRDS II document is a 10-year plan (2020-2030), which seeks to provide direction for the development of the rice subsector.
Shehuri said NRDS II seeks to also achieve the government’s goals of self-sufficiency in rice production, food and nutrition security, employment creation, and production of surplus for export.
He reiterated the federal government’s commitment to the promotion of the Agricultural sector to realise its potential of achieving food and nutrition security for Nigeria’s teeming population.
“The Rice Value Chain has been identified as being strategic to achieving these lofty objectives. This underscores the importance of today’s event,” he said.
He recalled that NRDS I, which was used to develop the Rice Transformation Agenda under the Agricultural Transformation Agenda and Agricultural Promotion Policy (APP), served as a catalyst for the commencement of the rice revolution in the country.
“Its implementation began with the adoption of a Value Chain system as a holistic approach to transform the Rice sector in Nigeria.
“This has helped the government to provide enablers and support to rice production, processing and marketing end to end.
“It encouraged a private sector-driven agriculture that started in 2011 as an adopted strategy of the Federal Government to reduce the huge import bill by accelerating paddy production as well as improving processing quality and promoting consumption of home grown rice,” he said.
NRDS II seeks to also achieve the government’s goals of self-sufficiency in rice production, food and nutrition security, employment creation, and production of surplus for export.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Ernest Umakhihe, said CARP was set up to ensure the competitiveness of home-grown rice and sustainability of Nigeria’s rice sector.
Umakhihe was represented by the Director, Department of Rural Development, in the Ministry, Daniel Udo.
In a goodwill message, the Kebbi State Governor, Abubakar Bagudu, noted that Nigeria has done well in rice production.
“We have done well; there is no doubt about it in the rice sector — the increase in production, and the mobilisation of private investment coming together of financiers.
“Also, scientists and policymakers, under the able leadership of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture have produced monumental results,” he said.
He said the rice strategy document was in line with the Federal Government’s goals to achieve food sufficiency and boost trades.
In an address, the ECOWAS Rice Observatory (ERO) Officer, Dr Boladale Adebowale, said rice has strategically emerged as a food security commodity, adding that regional collaboration is essential for the growth of the sector. (NAN)
