WACOT Rice Limited, a member of the Tropical General Investments (TGI) Group, has concluded the Argungu Outgrower Expansion Programme (AOEP), a collaborative initiative with the USAID-funded West Africa Trade and Investment Hub aimed at enhancing rice production in Nigeria.
The out-grower expansion program, initiated in 2020, was designed to leverage the company’s existing out-grower program to improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers by providing access to essential agricultural inputs, financing, and training on Yield Enhancement Techniques (YET), and Good Agronomic Practices (GAP).
In a statement on Thursday, the company stated that aside from the provision of support to over 5,000 farmers, notable achievements of the program include job creation and increased inclusion of youth and women.
Other deliverables include: improved food security, enhanced agricultural yield, sustainable land management, and expanded access to financing, all contributing to the sustainable growth of rice production in Nigeria.
Having overseen the launch of the Out-grower Expansion Program during his tenure as Kebbi Governor, Abubakar Bagudu, the minister of budget and economic planning, emphasized the positive outcomes achieved through the collaboration between TGI Group and the West Africa Trade and Investment Hub, underscoring the potential of public-private partnerships in driving sustainable development.
He said, “This program is laudable as it showcases the potential of Kebbi state. We have a history of rice farming but live in an ever-changing environment where you have to respond to issues relating to climate change and environmental challenges with sustainable, inclusive models that can work.”
“This project by WACOT and USAID in Kebbi State has created a successful model that connects effort and opportunity.”
In his remarks, Farouk Gumel, chairman of WACOT Rice and Executive Vice Chairman (Africa) of TGI Group, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to promoting food security and economic growth in Nigeria through substantial investments across various sectors.
