Lagos seeks to expand capacity for rice production
Lagos is seeking to expand its capacity for rice production through a partnership with states in Northern Nigeria where large expanse of land is available but thinly cultivated.
The state government has earmarked N6.8 billion this fiscal year to further drive its ambition of expanding the agro value chain and boost food security with focus on animal husbandry, root crops and fish production. An official told our correspondent weekend that the government intends this year to invest more money in the state-owned Fish Farm Estate at Ayobo in Alimosho area.
BusinessDay learnt that the state is currently in talks with Kebbi for increased rice production and distribution, an idea that the government of Kebbi State is said to be excited about.
“We are collaborating with a Northern state in the development of a commodity value chain, specifically for rice production,” said Akinyemi Ashade, the commissioner for economic planning and budget.
Nigeria is Africa’s biggest consumer of rice as over 1.9 million metric tons of the grain is imported annually, about 41 per cent of its 4.65 million tons forecast consumption need, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which also puts local production close to three million tons. The country is said over N359 billion on rice imports.
“We cannot continue to rely on imports. We are looking to acquiring lands in other states because we are land poor. Lagos is the kernel of Nigeria. Its 21 million inhabitants consume the most par-boiled rice in the world, with an average of 34 kilograms per person per annum,” an official of the Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture said.
According to the official, the state is scaling up local production with over 200 hectares of land being cultivated at Itoga, Badagry area of Lagos.
“You know we have a 20,000 tons capacity miller in Ikorodu which operation will be further strengthened to process our harvests from Itoga. The overall objective is to stimulate and expand the sector, reduce poverty and stabilise the prices of rice.
All these speak to the resolve of the state government to pursue agriculture as a viable sector of the national economy. In addition to providing jobs, it will bring life to this town; it will re-energise Ikorodu and Imota as a major industrial centre and agro-allied industry,” said the official.
Ibrahim Iroko, a local rice grower and chairman of rice farmers association in Badagry, who lauded the state’s ambition, however, tasked the government to carry the local farmer along.
“We welcome the idea of increasing production and it is our belief that the government can do more by consulting with the local farmers and getting their inputs into policy formulation and implementation.
“Give a rice grower one hectare of land with a soft loan and give him a while to repay,” said Iroko in a telephone interview with BusinessDay.
Chinasa Aronye, also a rice farmer in Lagos, said partnering with other states is better idea since Lagos does not have the land as this will help to fill the gap between what is produced locally and imports. She noted that more needed to be done in the area of irrigation and mechanisation to boost rice production and achieve food security in Lagos State.
JOSHUA BASSEY