FG partners OLAM Rice Farm to boost rice production
As parts of efforts by the federal government to boost rice production and ban importation into the country, it has expressed readiness to partner with OLAM farm. The aim of the partnership, according to federal government delegation that visited the farm yesterday, is to support domestic food production and food security through scaling up rice cultivation.
The Vice president of the farm, Mr. Regi George, said they have developed a 10,000 hectare fully irrigated paddy farm on green field sites in Rukubi, Nasarawa State, affirming that the country would soon achieve self-sufficiency in rice production.
He further said that over 4,450 hectares are already under cultivation, with a further 3,000 hectares on target for 2017/18, adding that up to 1000 workers are employed, depending on the season.
Regi lamented the challenges confronting them, which includes poor road networks, electricity, irrigation and zero infrastructure.
Addressing journalists after the inspection, the Kebbi state governor, Mr. Abubakar Atiku Bagudu who is the Chairman of the National Initiative for Stable Crop Production in Nigeria, congratulated Olam farm for its doggedness and self-determination in consolidating on federal government policy of fighting importation of foreign rice into the country by encouraging local food production.
The Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbe also commended them and urged other investors to imitate the giant stride in boosting food production in the country.
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2 Comments
Nigeria is governed by blind,deaf and dumb leaders…..See the massive investment in Abuja Stock and Commodity Exchange to assist farmers to have access to international standards in agricultural processing of farm exports .These modern facilities have been lying waste.Go to Zambia and Malawi ,even Ghana.Their farm produce are in groceries in the U.K because of their international standards facilitated by their Commodity Exchanges.Our cocoa,sorghum and sesame seeds etc are being rejected world-wide because of poor qualities.. Shame!!!
Did it start yesterday? What were the achievement of the exchange by those that established it. If you do not produce can the commodity stock exchange works?
We will review and take appropriate action.