Achieving Annual Production Of 30m Tonnes Of Rice In Nigeria By 2030 ‘Possible’-Gov Bagudu
Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi state has submitted that Nigeria can achieve the goal of producing 30million metric tonnes of rice annually by 2030.
Bagudu’s Special Adviser on Media, Mr Yahaya Sarki noted in a statement made available to Team@orientactualmags.com that the governor, who is the Chairman of the APC Governors’ Forum, said this in Abuja on Thursday during the launch of the National Rice Development Strategy ll 2020-2030, an event that was organized by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
‘This goal of attaining this level of production by 2030 is even modest. This is because of the massive transformation that has taken place in the agricultural sector, especially rice production’ he said.
Bagudu said a lot of attention had been paid to the rice sector by the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.
The governor recalled that Buhari had set up a Presidential Task Force on rice and wheat production in Nigeria which he chaired, as well as the National Food Security Council that had the president serving as Chairman and Bagudu as Vice Chairman.
He averred that all these were in appreciation of the importance of coordination and cooperation in achieving the objectives.
‘We have moved to about 15 million and we need more to achieve this lofty goal.
We have seen rapid increase in yields and a rice revolution at the lowest level in farming communities.
Farmers are now accepting agronomic practices while they are investing in seedlings and appreciating value of adequate inputs’ he added.
The Governor said there have also been the evolution of myriad of mega rice mills across the country, with Kebbi State as the fulcrum of rice production.
He also noted that all the states in the north west had 149,000 square meters of land mass capable of producing rice
Bagudu also said that all the 36 States of the federation and the FCT have tremendous potentials of rice production.
‘We need to do better and mobilize all the potentials in the country to achieve the goal.
Our rice strategy is consistent with the SDGs of achieving food sufficiency and to eliminate hunger.
This is also in line with the goals of the development partners of helping us to feed ourselves.
This will also improve our trade with others as the world economy was intertwined’ Bagudu averred- Team@orientactualmags.com
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