The importation of rice into Nigeria dropped by 88.4 per cent in one year, the Federal Government announced on Friday.

It stated that rice importation dropped from 500,000 metric tonnes imported in 2015 to 58,000MT in 2016.

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, disclosed this to delegates who participated at the Nigeria Agricultural Joint Sector Review in Abuja.

In his speech, which was read by the ministry’s Director, Planning and Policy Coordination, Mr. Auwal Mai-Dabino, the minister said, “As part of government’s commitments towards reforming the sector for better results, the National Agricultural Land Development Authority and the three universities of agriculture have been restored back to the ministry.

“Steps have been taken toward recapitalisation of the Bank of Agriculture and provision of available sulphate to fertiliser blending plants. These efforts have led to the reduction of rice importation from 500,000MT in 2015 to 58,000MT in 2016, and increased the volume of production through the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme.”

On the purpose of the joint sector review, Ogbeh said it was to assess the progress made in policy implementation in Nigeria’s agricultural sector with respect to the Malabo Declaration under the context of Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme, Agricultural Promotion Policy and other existing policies, programmes and projects across the country.

“The review period is 2015 to 2016 and all stakeholders are expected to be part of the process. That is why all of you have been invited,” he told the delegates and stakeholders who were drawn from all the states of the federation.

The minister stated that in line with the Federal Government’s Economic Recovery and Growth Plan, and the Medium Term Expenditure Framework, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development recently identified 10 prioritised projects that would double productivity and improve access to export markets in a sustainable manner.

Ogbeh said, “The present administration will continue to partner and collaborate with all stakeholders through the joint sector review for a realistic and transparent assessment of the performance and results of the sector.

“I believe this will assist the government in setting sector policy and priorities, and serve as management and policy support tool for inclusive stakeholder planning, programming, budget preparation/execution, monitoring and evaluation.

http://investorsking.com/rice-importation-drops-88-4-fg/

This APC government can lie, who says importation of rice has dropped up to 88.4%, go round the markets all over the country and see if till date foreign rice is still not displacing our local rice which is in contrast with this assertion, what they have only succeeded in doing is increasing the price, Please this government should learn to always tell the truth.
I appreciate govt's effort to curb the importation of rice for our local ones to grow, but this is not achieved through propaganda, govt have a lot to.

Some days ago I was having this discussion with a friend on boosting agriculture and food production in this country and I told him its very simple to achieve just That govt of the day has been insincere and wants to run a govt with propaganda.
First I asked him how many rice mills do we have in this country, it is a well known fact that agriculture in this part of the world is still be done manually by peasant farmers instead of mechanized farming as is obtainable all over the globe, most farmers cannot afford these heavy equipments but the govt. can assist by providing the equipments and renting it to farmers at a highly subsidized rate, that will go a long way to boost agriculture.

Also we have so many multi-Nationals in this country, let there be a policy that every multi National operating in this country must own a farm, and the govt may choose for it the area they are to get involved.
Imagine the likes of SHELL, chevron, Schlumberger, Total, Elf etc having a rice farm, obviously there won't be need for us to shut our borders for rice smuggling as there will be excess production and we will even start considering export.
I say it once again, government is not by propaganda, it involves critical thinking and analysis and the coming up with solutions that are in tandem with reality.

Good development if this is true.
God bless Nigeria and Nigerians

So all d Mama Gold , Mama Africa , and other foreign rice brands still flooding d market are what?? Dis govt and propaganda sef..