Farmers are canvassing for improved technology and innovation in the agriculture sector as rice production rises on renewed government support.
But there are still local production gaps of almost four million metric tons in rice and over 4.5 million metric tons of wheat, owing to, among other issues, illiteracy and lack of technological know-how among rice and wheat farmers.
“We must be innovative in our design, implementation and execution of agricultural programs, projects and activities in agriculture now,” Ibrahim Kabiru, president, All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) told BusinessDay.
“How do we even track the progress we make? How much do we devote to research on this? These are issues that need to be factored in at the moment,” Kabiru said.
The central bank is currently managing the Anchor Borrowers Programme, which is targeted at making Nigeria self-sufficient in rice, fish, wheat, palm oil and other commodities. The programme is already gaining traction in Kebbi State, involving the use of Bank Verification Number (BVN) for identification purposes.
According to Sani Dangote, president of the Nigerian Agribusiness Group (NABG) and group vice president of Dangote Industries Limited, what the government needs is to constantly build the capacity of farmers.
“All government needs to do is to give capacity building to these farmers and put them in cooperatives and give them seeds, production will shoot up in Nigeria and rice would be everywhere. The price of rice will become so attractive that Nigerians will start growing rice in their backyard,” Dangote said.
Abiodun Olorundero, CEO of Green Vine Farms, said what may mitigate further progress made so far in the agriculture sector is lack of technology.
“Lack of technology and innovation remains one of the reasons why we still have a shortfall in production. Technology is very crucial if Nigeria really wants to boost agric productivity.
Government must key into agriculture using technology to attract the youth,” Olorundero said.
Experts are also worried over the perennial problem of smuggling, which tends to destroy local rice investments and makes it hard for local farmers to compete favourably.
“Smuggling has been a great challenge to the government. Our borders are porous because of corruption. It involves change of attitude on the part of the agencies before the issue can be addressed,” Adela Elliot, chairman of agric group, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI).
“If the momentum of investments in rice is sustained over a period of time, smuggling will be driven to the barest minimum,” he said.
“Smugglers would not smuggle when it is abundant in supply and the competition is high,” he added.
Nigeria ranks among the top 12 rice consuming countries in the world and the highest net importer of rice in Africa as well as the second largest importer of rice in the world.
Nigeria domestic demand for rice is estimated at 6.3 million tonnes, while the country produces only 2.3 million tons annually, leaving a supply –demand gap of four million metric tons, according to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD). Nigeria spends an about N356 billion on importation of rice annually, the bulk of which comes from Thailand.
The Federal government has established a National Rice and Wheat Task Force, with a target to yield comprehensible and self-evident results in rice and wheat production in the country. Experts say the country must take supply chain integration seriously, while doing more to mechanise agriculture. They add that there should be political will to make the country self-sufficient in the long-term.
“Nigeria has enough land to plant rice at commercial level but the government should do more to encourage farmers to farm rice,” said Clever Amada, secretary Rice farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN).
“Farmers need mechanisation to boost rice production in the country,” he said.
JOSEPHINE OKOJIE
