Olam Nigeria Limited, an agri-business company said it has lost over $15 million worth of planted crops as flood submerged 4500 hectares of rice farm land in Nassarawa State.
Counting the losses, the farm’s business head and vice president Olam rice farm, Anil Nair said that the losses are huge but can only be estimated once the water recedes.
Nair, in a statement issued on Sunday, said that other damages included infrastructures such as dykes, canals and drainage worth $8 million.
Olam rice farm in Rukubi Doma Local Government Area of Nassarawa State, is seated on 13,500 hectares land and operates a crop area of 4500 hectares.
“Over $15 million worth of planted crops are under water as flood submerged 4500 hectares of Olam rice farmland in Nassarawa State.
“The company recently upgraded its milling capacity from one hundred and twenty thousand (120) metic tonnes to two hundred and forty (240) metric tonnes annually as part of the company’s efforts to ensure food availability and security in Nigeria.
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“Olam also has consistently support its host communities as part of its social cooperate responsibility (CSR) initiatives.
“Hundreds of people from the six host communities where Olam Rice farm is located in Rukubi Doma Local Government Area of Nassarawa State, have benefited from these gestures by the company as part of its corporate social responsibility programme.
“The farm also provided instructional facilities for primary and junior secondary pupils in the communities to enhance learning.
“With these numerous supports both for the Nigeria’s agriculture sector and humanitarian support to the host communities, it won’t be overboard to say that government’s urgent interventions are necessary to mitigate the effects of the disaster, reduce hunger and encourage development of adapting climate change technologies to enhance food security.”
