Dr Harold Roy-Macauley, Director-General, Africa Rice Center, Benin Republic, has said that at 4 million tonnes a year, Nigeria is now the largest rice producer in Africa.
I thought it was a gimmick, or at least a joke, when two years ago the ‘maigad’ of my property in the village told me he was returning home (ie to northern Nigeria) to get involved in new agricultural initiatives of the moment. Ditto, he said, for all other ‘maigads’ in the vicinity so I might not hope to find a replacement for his services from among them.
That was good news if it was true and I wished him luck. So he left.
He had since told me life was now making meaning with his current endeavours. That must be good for the country.
Now Dr Harold Roy-Macauley, is just confirming what I heard in 2018 that things are happening. Of course I wasn’t blind to LAKE (LAgosKEbbi partnership) rice which Governor Ambode made news of at Christmas of 2017.
Let us hope this is sustained. And that we buy rice cheaper in Nigeria as a result.
http://thenationonlineng.net/nigeria-overtakes-egypt-as-largest-rice-producer-in-africa/
Yes, I can also confirm that Sir. The rice farming scheme is still ongoing, an initiative of the Federal Government. My Society’s cooperative is a beneficiary of the project. Our cooperative is called NASFAT Rice farming cooperative.
Rice Farming, in Nigeria i think it we contribute to reduction of Nigeria poverty. When we have more production of rice, I think the price will fall.