Four states in the southwest have signed on to the planned Lagos rice revolution that will see to the production of 32 tons of rice per hour from the Imota Rice Mill, in Ikorodu, which is presently undergoing expansion and retooling by the Lagos State government.
This brings to six the number of states that have signed agreement to collaborate with Lagos in the areas of agro value chain and other economic ventures, Kebbi and Kano had already done so.
The four states include Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti. However, Lagos’ next-door neighbour, Ogun, is yet to sign into the rice production deal. Lagos, Nigeria’s economic hub, has advantage of market with a population estimate of 21 million people.
It is learnt that Ogun is currently resolving areas of disagreement with Lagos, bordering on a large expanse of land that Lagos acquired from it (Ogun) during the administration of Babatunde Fashola, the immediate past governor of Lagos, which is yet to effectively utilise for purposes acquired. It is expected that Ogun will join the rest of the states upon the resolution of the differences.
The deal, which is being pushed through the southwest regional integration, aims at upping food production and making the region self-sufficient in rice. It will involve the cultivation of over 32,000 hectares of paddy with Lagos as the milling hub.
The rice paddy expected from this massive cultivation will complement the earlier agreement signed between Lagos and Kebbi states, which had resulted in the production of Lake Rice brand already in the Lagos market.
Aside jobs to be created, the joint rice production will also serve as income generator for rice farmers within the southwest states.
Governor Akinwumi Ambode had during the recent meeting of the southwest governors in Lagos explained the role of Lagos in the deal.
“We are building a 32-ton per hour rice mill in Imota, and we are going to require 32,000 hectares of paddy cultivation, which even the whole of the south west cannot even provide. But because we are interested in integration and also independence, it is important that beyond going to Kebbi or Kano, all the southwest states should also benefit from it,” Ambode said.
He noted that the arrangement would be such that local farmers in the respective states would be used to cultivate the rice and by so doing, generate employment, with Lagos as off-takers of the paddy produced.
“This would create employment across the region and at the same time put money into the pocket of the farmers. Four other states have agreed to sign the memorandum of understanding to this effect. What is happening between Lagos and Ogun is that there are minor issues that are outstanding. But they are committed to signing when those issues are resolved,” he said.
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