NISRAL Mobilises N65bn Rice Value Chain Project

• NISRAL Mobilises N65bn Rice Value Chain Project

In view of the need to enhance the value chain in rice production, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is organizing stakeholders in Niger State for value chain rice production even as the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) has facilitated N65 billion loans to farmers across the country for same project.

This is also coming on the heels of the assurance by the Federal Government that the country is set to beat its year 2017 target of self-sufficiency in rice production, to revive and boost the dwindling economy.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, chief Audu Ogbeh and the Executive Director, NIRSAL Mr. Awoshafe Babatunde made these positions known yesterday at a roundtable meeting of Rice Supply Chain of the Agribusiness Supplier Development Programme (ASDP) jointly organised by the Ministry, UNDP and NIRSAL in Minna.

The Minister represented by the Director of Planning of the Ministry, Musa Alhassan said that the strategic implementation of government programmes would help reduce post-harvest losses.

According to him, “the Federal Government has banned the importation of rice and there is currently surplus across the country. This means, there is result and it shows that the farmers and all government’s policies are aiding agriculture produce.

“We are now rice sufficient in the country, by 2017; Nigeria will be self-sufficient in rice production. We are getting close as there is improvement on what we have been getting before. This will boost our economy,” he added.