ABUJA— Efforts by the Federal Government to achieve self-sufficiency in rice production by 2015, have received the recognition of Food and Agriculture Organisation, FAO.

FAO had projected that increased rice output in Nigeria and Ghana for 2012 will outpace consumption in 2012/13, resulting in an upward revision of five million tonnes in 2013 closing inventories.

It said: “Compared to last year, world rice carryover stocks are expected to rise by seven per cent, or 10 million tonnes, to a new high of almost 170 tonnes, marking the 8th consecutive year of stock accumulation.

“As a result, the world rice stock-to-use ratio is forecast to rise from 33.6 percent in 2012 to 35.5 percent in 2013.”

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, has assured that Nigeria will achieve self-sufficiency in rice production.