Food Security: Nigeria in good stead to start rice exportation, says RIFAN

*Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) affirms the country has become the highest rice-growing economy in Africa due to the active support of the Federal Government through the Central Bank of Nigeria’s intervention

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

Sequel to Nigeria’s unveiling of huge rice pyramids built with a million bags of paddy rice Tuesday, January 18, 2022, in Abuja, FCT, the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) has said the West African country will commence exportation of rice in the near future.

RIFAN noted this development is aimed at evolving the twin benefits of ensuring food security and economic diversification in the country.

President Buhari (2nd left) and other guests inspect Nigeria Rice brands at the unveiling of mega rice pyramids in Abuja 

President Muhammadu Buhari Tuesday unveiled the mega rice pyramids, which is a joint agribusiness project between the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and RIFAN under the Bank’s Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP).

ConsumerConnect learnt Ado Hassan, Secretary of Kano State Chapter of RIFAN, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on the sidelines of the unveiling of the mega rice pyramids in Abuja.

The Association disclosed that the era of wholesale rice importation is gone, as it noted that there was a time when the CBN was spending N1billion to support rice import bills in the economy.

“Today the apex bank is no longer spending a kobo to support importation of rice,” said RIFAN.

Hassan, however, dispelled some insinuations that the huge rice pyramids on display were not solely rice.

He stated that as a matter of fact, the commodity was brought in by rice farmers from  virtually all states of the country.

Hassan also said: “The rice here is from all over the country. RIFAN has always been real, it is not possible to deceive 200 million Nigerians with a project like this.

“For the fact that Nigeria has not imported even a grain of rice in the last four years is enough prove that we are already self sufficient in the commodity. The cultivation of rice is a reality and it will continue to happen.”

Nigeria, he noted, has become the highest rice growing country in Africa due the support of the Federal Government and the intervention of the CBN.

The RIFAN chief further stated: “There was a time when the CBN was spending N1billion to support rice import bills”, but no longer spending a kobo to support importation of rice.

“Today, Nigeria has become the highest rice grower in the whole of Africa. That is a great achievement.

“We have leaders of some of our neighbouring countries who are coming here today to see our miracle in rice. They are a sure market for our rice exportation,” said Hassan.

He added that in spite of reported widespread insecurity of lives and property across the country as a setback in recent times, the situation has not discouraged farmers from cultivating farmlands.

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