…gives hope to rice farmers, stakeholders

…task ahead requires partnership – Dama

By Gabriel Ewepu, Abuja

THE Federal Government, Thursday, launched the National Rice Development Strategy, NRDS, II, and the Competitive Africa Rice Platform, CARP, SRP-Nigeria II to galvanize productivity along the value chain.

The launch was made by the Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Hon Mustapha Shehuri, while delivery a keynote address on how to reinvigorate rice production and sustainability of the commodity.

Shehuri said the launch of NRDS II became imperative as the demand is high and calls for more investment, which had earlier witnessed high production under the first phase of it.

According to him, NRDS I recorded huge success as it had development of National Farmers’ Database across the country; Strengthening of seed development and production system; intensification of Research and Development (R&D) leading to the development of resilient Rice varieties for different ecologies; Strengthening the seed Companies for efficient seed production, Strengthening of Agricultural Insurance by establishing the Nigerian; Incentive-based Risk Sharing on Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) to entrench insurance services on agribusinesses; Championed the introduction of Zero Percent (0%) Tariff & Duty on imported Agricultural Equipment; Facilitated the Guaranteed Minimum Price for Paddy which enabled farmers break even in case of glut.

Meanwhile, the NRDS II is a 10 year working document that had been implemented from 2020-2030 with supported from the German International Cooperation, GIZ, that serves as roadmap for the development of the rice subsector targeted at achieving Federal Government’s goal rice self-sufficiency in production, food and nutrition security, employment creation and production for export.

He said: “The Federal Government of Nigeria is extremely committed to the promotion of Agricultural sector in order to realize its potential of achieving food and nutrition security for our teeming population. The Rice Value Chain has been identified as being strategic to achieving these lofty objectives and this underscores the importance of today’s event.

“I wish to recall that the NRDS I which was used to develop the Rice Transformation Agenda under the Agricultural Transformation Agenda and Agricultural Promotion Policy (APP) served as a catalyst for the commencement of the Rice revolution in the country. Its implementation began with the adoption of a Value Chain system as a holistic approach to transform the Rice sector in Nigeria.

“This has helped the Government to provide enablers and support to Rice production, processing and marketing end to end. It encouraged a private sector-driven agriculture that started in 2011 as an adopted strategy of the Federal Government to reduce the huge import bill by accelerating paddy production, improve processing quality and promoting consumption of home grown rice.

“As a result of this success, NRD I was reviewed to give rise to the formulation of a new NRDS document in 2021.

“This is the document that is being launched today. The NRDS II document is a ten-year plan which seeks to provide direction for the development of the rice subsector to achieve Government’s goals of self-sufficiency in Rice production, Food and Nutrition Security, Employment Creation and Production of surplus for export. The document was adopted at the 4th National Council of Agriculture (NCA) which was held at the International Conference Centre, Abuja in 2021 by all the Stakeholders with support from Competitive Africa Rice Platform (CARP).

“CARP formerly known as Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP) is dedicated to the productivity and sustainability of the Rice industry with two main objectives which are to ensure the competitiveness of Nigerian Rice and sustainability of the Nigeria rice sector. The Competitive African Rice Platform CARP (SRP)-Nigeria is a multi-stakeholders’ platform set up to advocate policies and drive transformational changes in standard practices in the Rice sector.”

Also in a remark, the Chairman Board of Trustees of Competitive African Rice Platform (CARP) SRP Nigeria, Peter Dama, said there is need to have a strong partnership to ensure the NRDS II is achieved.

Dama however, called President Muhammadu Buhari to assent to the Rice Council Development Bill 22, which is before him, and added that the bill if accented to, will also help CARP in the promotion of National Food Security in the rice value chain.

He said: “The task ahead of us as a Nation, requires partnership, innovative thinking and most importantly, disciplined implementation on what we embark upon for the good of the country by both the government and the private sector.

“So therefore, today, we are all gathered here to witness the launching of a very important Rice Stakeholders Platform, called Competitive African Rice Platform (CARP (SRP) Nigeria) and the National Rice Development Strategy document (NRDSII) which is a 10 year strategic plan that will guide the Rice subsector to achieve competitiveness in both the domestic and regional markets.

“You are all aware that the world today including Nigeria, there is increasing demand that food should be produced sustainably. We shall therefore use the Nigeria CARP National Platform to promote transformation in the Nigeria Rice Sector, following the guide lines on the NRSD II document.

“This will therefore enable us assist in delivering healthy, high quality nutritious Rice to consumers in the country and also help farmers achieve better lives and protect the environment, through the relevant technical thematic teams we have put together, based on ECOWAS Rice Observatory standards.

“CARP Nigeria will further mobilize Rice Stakeholders in order to promote on farm adoption of sustainable best practice, link millers and farmers to Markets and offer objective opinions to government for policy making on the rice sector.”

He (Dama) called for fortification of rice with essential nutrients, “The World Health Organisation (WHO) has accepted and adopted food fortification, and the Nigerian Government realising the health benefits derived from food fortification, has accepted that Rice in Nigeria should be amongst one of the food items that should be fortified, by adding vitamins and Micronutrients in Rice, destroyed in the process of Rice Milling or Processing.

“The Federal Ministry of Health has therefore come up with a designed Road MAP for consideration and adoption towards Rice fortifications in this country.”