Inline with the Federal Government’s desire to enhance domestic food security, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh has assured Nigerians that adequate measures are being taken to scale up rice cultivation, encourage local production, providing support and incentives to farmers and agro-processing companies.
Chief Ogbeh gave this assurance recently during a working visit to Olam Farms at Ondorie, in Nasarawa State.
Accompanied on the trip by Kebbi State Governor, Atiku Bagudu and some officials of the Central Bank’s Anchor Borrowers Team, the Minister was taken on a tour of the farm and rice milling facilities “where he carried out an inspection and also took time to address employees of the company”.
He advised employees at the factory to put in their best and help protect the huge investment to create a better future for their children.
Earlier, the Minister, according to a statement issued by New Media Adviser, Aishat Onusi, was briefed by Olam farms officials on progress being made at the farm to boost local food production; efforts at empowering small scale farmers/out-growers, the company’s investment in corporate social responsibility in the host community and the challenges faced.
According to the report presented to the Minister, the company is currently developing a 10,000 hectares, fully integrated paddy farm on the Greenfield site with an expected yield of 10MT per hectare over two annual crop cycles.
This according to the company is based on four varieties of high-yield rice, tested with the West African Rice Development Association, adding that 4,450 hectares are already under cultivation with a further 3,000 hectares on target for 2017/2018; with up to 1000 workers employed on the farm.
The company however highlighted some of the challenges being faced which include bad road network, lack of electricity, poor irrigation, and inaccessibility to high quality seeds coupled with the high cost of current funding.
Responding, Chief Ogbeh expressed gratitude on behalf of the Federal Government for the company’s contribution to the nation’s local food production.
The Minister said: “Let me express the appreciation of the President for your faith in Nigeria and for committing this huge investment, in spite of the challenges we face as a nation. Be rest assured that we will do our best to lend you support to ease the challenges you have highlighted. We are establishing lakes and dams to enable irrigation for all-year round farming nationwide; and also supporting smallholder farmers with rice mills, harvesters and threshers”.
Also speaking during the visit, the Kebbi State Governor, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu stated that in contribution to self-sufficiency in grains, Kebbi State was already stocking rice and encouraged other states to do the same.
