No doubt, homegrown rice farming is a lucrative venture for anyone aspiring to be financially independent.
It is a.business with several value-chains, whose, on their own too, can generate employment for the unemployed Nigerians. Although, the business is currently facing some challenges, it didn’t however, take away the fact that, this is a business with a good and huge investment returns.
Hence, despite the challenges confronting farming across the country, Rice Miller Association of Nigeria (RIMAN) has assured of the readiness of rice farmers to feed the nation.
Similarly, the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) is lamenting high cost of input affecting farmers.
In separate chats with LEADERSHIP Weekend , the leadership of AFAN and RIMAN warned against the threat of looming food insecurity based on number of avoidable obstacles waging war against the planned mandate of AFAN and RIMAN, to make many people millionaire and create jobs through engagement of many direct and indirect hands in rice production.
AFAN public relations officer, National PRO 2, Ademola Oyetunji enumerated number of obstacles that could distract the plan. According to Oyetunji, “Poor road networks, lack of storage facilities, and unreliable power supply increase the cost of production and post-harvest losses are the greatest threat. This, we want government to address so we can fully tap into the potentials of rice farming.”
Moreover, Oyetunji, who is also Project director, GMG AGRIC Farm4us Project
blamed, “High Cost of Inputs, Fertilizers, improved seedlings, and agrochemicals are expensive and often scarce. This discourages smallholder farmers who produce most of Nigeria’s rice. Insecurity in Farming Areas, whereby banditry, kidnapping, and farmer-herder clashes have displaced many rice farmers, especially, in key production States like Kebbi, Benue, and Borno.”
On his own part, the national chairman of RIMAN, Peter Dama charged federal government to bailout rice farmer from the threat that are giving them headache.
According to Dama, “Rice smuggling has continued to be great threat to homegrown rice production. For example, there has been attacks on farmers and rice-producing communities which has disrupted agricultural activities, leading to reduced rice production.”
However, Dama assured that, “despite these challenges, Nigeria has a significant Rice Milling capacity, with well over 268 large and medium scale rice mills and more than 7,500 small and modular rice millers across the country. In addition, Nigeria equally has large expanse of arable land for rice cultivation , which if properly utilised for rice cultivation, the country will attain rice self-sufficiency , and even export the surplus, to needy countries. This needs appropriate systems and policies by government towards food security and job creation ”
Meanwhile, farmers who spoke to LEADERSHIP said, local rice farming is a profitable business whose returns in very attractive for whoever wants to go into it, despite, challenges confronting the business.
