Create enabling environment to boost rice production, stakeholders tell govt.

Stakeholders have urged government at all levels to create an enabling environment that would lead to sustainable rice production through provision of farm inputs and credit facilities to farmers.

The stakeholders spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in separate interviews across some South West, and North Central states.

Dr Aliyu Umar of the National Cereals Research Institute (NCRI), Badeggi, Niger, told NAN that the Federal Government must create an enabling environment that would lead to sustainable rice production.

Specifically, Umar said there was need for a sustained funding for research on rice if the latest government’s initiative to improve rice production was to work.He also said that mechanising rice farming and processing operations should be considered.

“Also, there should be available and affordable producing inputs for farmers for us to be able to produce enough rice in the country and even export.

“The government should also guarantee a realistic price for the rice produced while the ban on importation should be enforced.

“There should be rehabilitation of old irrigation structures and expansion across the country,” Umar said.

Also, an integrated rice farmer, Mr Prince Ogunsina, said farmers and research institutes across the country must be mobilised and funded for effective production of rice.

Ogunsina said factors such as lack of funds, inadequate milling machines, birds, grass cutters, herdsmen, climate change and government’s policy were all responsible for the limited rice production in the country.

He told NAN that there was no tangible financial support for farmers in particular by the state and federal governments for the production of rice.

“IFAD and FADAMA III are doing their best but political farmers and privileged people hijack the opportunities from grassroots farmers, who should have benefitted from programmes under the Federal Government’s initiative,” he said.

Source:- Vanguardngr