By Francis Nansak,Lafia
Agricultural stakeholders have commended President Muhammadu Buhari’s policy on rice production. According to them the policy has transformed Nigeria from been a major importer of rice to the largest producer in West Africa.
In their separate interviews with newsmen on the ongoing 2022 National Agricultural Show taking place in Karu Local Government Area of the state on Friday.
Dr Abbas Ramallan, Chairman, Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN), Nasarawa state chapter said the closing of the borders by the Buhari’s administration helped to boost local rice production thereby making the country now a major producer of rice unlike in the past.
“We depend so much on importing rice but then all the borders were closed. All the importation of rice was stopped. If not for this policy by Mr President and the coming of RIFAN especially during the coronavirus pandemic, I don’t know what would have been the fate of Nigeria today.
“I am proud to tell you that today Nigeria is not only the largest rice producer in West Africa but in the whole of Africa. We started from zero and today we are the leading rice producers all thanks to President Buhari who emphasized local production,” he said.
He bemoaned the flooding that has ravaged several states across the country and by extension farmlands but noted that farmers especially rice farmers had been advised to insure their farmlands so as to recoup their lost investment.
“Flooding is not strange to farmers and we have to plan for it yearly. How do you do that? You have to insure your farm so that when such flood comes, you go back to your insurance and they will reimburse youso that you can prepare for next year or even do dry season farming because now we have rice that can be produced during dry season,” he said.
In another interview, Alhaji Bello Abubakar, Chairman, Root Crops International Farmers Market, Keffi said because of President Buhari’s policy, Nigeria is getting close to self sufficiency as regards local agricultural production especially with regards to rice.
He called for more funding and support for local rice production so as to make Nigeria fully self sufficient in rice production in the near future.
Abubakar who said self sufficiency in rice production could trigger the drive for self sufficiency in other farm produce, however warned that issues of security must be prioritized for any success to be recorded.
“I think one of the issues obstructing the progress made so far in the agriculture sector is security. Emphasis must be placed on issues on security so that peasant farmers can feel safe to produce their crops and get them to the market,” he said.
