Food Security: Buhari to unveil world’s largest rice pyramids in Abuja

*The Central Bank of Nigeria discloses the mega rice pyramids project slated for launch Tuesday, January 18 is a collaboration between the Bankers’ Bank and the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

In a strategic move to further enhance availability of the staple food item for consumers while boosting food security in the country, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has said President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to unveil the Bank’s mega rice pyramids Tuesday, January 18, 2022, in Abuja, FCT.

ConsumerConnect reports the CBN disclosed that the huge rice pyramids project is a collaborative effort between the Bankers’ Bank and the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN).

President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR

According to information on the CBN’s corporate Web site, the rice pyramids are  described as the largest in the world, courtesy of the apex bank’s Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP) for Nigerian farmers.

The Abuja mega rice pyramids are located at the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Trade Fair Complex, in Abuja.

It is recalled that the Bank, in conjunction with other stakeholders in the agribusiness sector of the economy, had also launched similar rice pyramids, especially in Kebbi State in the past years.

Activation of ABP initiative since 2015

The Bank as well noted since the inauguration of the ABP initiative by President Buhari November 2015, in Kebbi State, North-West of the country, the agricultural development scheme has increased the average yield of rice per hectare from 1.8 metric tonnes to five metric tonnes.

Besides, the initiative has discouraged importation of the commodity into the West African country, said the CBN.

It further stated: “The ABP has enabled 95 per cent reduction of Nigeria’s annual rice import bill from 1.5 billion dollars in 2015  to 18.5 million dollars.

“It has also created 12.8 million direct and indirect jobs across different value chains and food belts of the country.”

Mr. Godwin Emefiele, Governor of CBN

Despite challenges of flooding during the wet season  in regard to the damaging COVID-19 pandemic and lingering insecurity across the country in 2020 and 2021, the Bank said it was still able to work with other stakeholders to inspire farmers to reap bountiful harvest in the economy.

The CBN stated that similar rice and maize pyramids had been unveiled in states, such as Kebbi,  Niger, Gombe and  Ekiti,  among others in the Nigerian Federation.

Commendations for CBN on ABP initiative, support for farmers

Some stakeholders, meanwhile, have applauded the Central Bank of Nigeria for the ABP initiative and support to farmers in the country.

Mr. Abubakar Alli, a farmer, said that the idea of the ABP and CBN’s supporting state governments to boost food production had been encouraging, agency report stated.

Alli said: “I must commend the CBN for its support through the ABP toward rice production in Nigeria, and for supporting different state governments to boost production.”

Commending the Bank on the initiative also, Chinonso Elendu, urged the authorities to ensure that farmers are safe in their farms in Nigeria.

“This is a very good move, but we need to make sure our farmers are safe and crops should be affordable to everyone,” Elendu remarked.

According to Hussein Ibrahim, the unveiling of rice pyramids across the country, which indicates improved capacity to cultivate the crop should also make it cheap and affordable to the common man.

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