4 December 2008
The Federal Government is to establish a US $85-million-dollar (about N10 billion) rice fund to boost production of this staple food by more than a million tons.
This was announced by the Minister of State for Agriculture, Ademola Seriki, on behalf of Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan at the opening of the Rice Investment Forum in Abuja. The forum was organised by the NEPAD Business Group Nigeria and the Nigeria Economic Summit Group.
The Minister said that rice farmers would be empowered and organised to access credit facilities, while the Government would provide the needed infrastructure. He called on the private sector to collaborate in the areas of accessing credit facilities and the building of rice processing factories.
The Special Adviser to the President and Head of NEPAD Nigeria, Amb.
Tunji Olagunju, said the greatest challenges were the rural infrastructure, technology, markets and funds to boost production.
"There is, therefore, the need for a better coordination of efforts towards an effective and efficient value-chain in rice production," he said.
"Today, we can proudly announce that the New Rice for Africa - NERICA , has been tested and found to be ideal for our climatic conditions.
"We should take full advantage of NERICA to ensure self-sufficiency in rice production and indeed to become a net exporter of rice," he added.
He urged Governments in the West African sub-region to pursue the 2003 Maputo Declaration, which asked African Union members to dedicate at least 10 per cent of their national budgets to agriculture. In a goodwill message, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, noted that food security was central to the attainment of the ideals of sustainable human development and the Millennium Development Goals.
He said the House recognised the need to spearhead the move to end the spectre of hunger in Nigeria by ensuring higher appropriation to the agricultural sector. Allocations to the sector had hovered at an average of seven per cent of the national budget for many years. "We will expedite action in the consideration of outstanding Bills that impact on Nigeria's agricultural sector," he said.
"We are prepared to appraise the 1978 Land Use Decree with a view to amending its provisions. We will reform the Act to enhance its capacity to stimulate agricultural production for commercial and domestic purposes."
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