Positioning Nigeria as Main Rice Producer in Africa

Minister Audu Ogbeh has devoted more time in his Agriculture and Rural Development ministry, trying to position Nigeria as the number one rice producer in Africa, writes

pearheaded by Chief Audu Ogbeh and Senator Heineken Lokpobiri as Minister of State, the policy focus of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development since the inception of the present administration is to reposition the sector in line with the federal government’s diversification objectives; as well as position agriculture as a business, boost produce export, encourage mechanisation, food security, plant health among others.

Perhaps, one of the legacies the ministers will boast of leaving behind as they wind up on their first tenure, is their efforts toward the partial commercialisation and privatisation of the Bank of Agriculture (BOA) which had reached final stage. The shares of the bank will be sold to farmers and private sector investors.

Though the federal government is expected to still maintain shares in the bank, the ultimate objective is to raise between N250 billion to N400 billion for recapitalisation with farmers owning the controlling shares; as well as reduce the lending rate to agriculture to a maximum of five per cent.

Another achievement of the ministry is the revolution in local rice production in recent times, which was largely achieved through the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) Anchor Borrower Programme (ABP), which many said had caused drastic reduction in rice importation by 90 per cent, boost local demand and consumption as well as conserved the country’s foreign exchange.

Other initiatives include fertilizer production, which has been indigenisedending the scandal and colossal waste associated with the procurement and distribution.

Another laudable achievement of the ministry in the estimation of some insiders, had been in cotton production, re-launched with the adoption of the BT Cotton to increase yield per hectare from one metric ton to four tons—as one of the practical measures by the present administration to revive the textile industry.

The ministry will also share in the glory regarding import substitution. The CBN had stated that in the last three and half years, the country had cut food import by $21 billion, and increased agro export by 600 per cent.

Other programmes, which had received a boost during the tenure of the ministers include seedling where the country currently remains the largest seed producing country in the West African sub-region. The digitisation of the seed processing is a plus for the ministry.

Another area of interest had been in effective pest control which threatened food security recently. In partnership with the private sector, the ministry found a cure for the Fall Army Worm and the tuta absoluta using organic pesticides -which are now in demand across Africa. Importantly, the ministry had provided support and encouragement for indigenous scientists who