BY AMEH IDUJAGI, JALINGO – National President of Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN), Alhaji Aminu Goronyo has said that the economic diversification efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari has started to yield huge results especially in the area of rice production.
Goronyo, who said this during the flag-off sale of paddy to rice processors in Jalingo on Tuesday by RIFAN, noted that since the discovery of crude oil as the main stay of the economy, this is the first time, the agricultural sector is making significant boost in the country.
He said; “I must say that I am overwhelmed by what I have seen here today. It is indeed clear that the efforts of the President are already yielding huge positive results, especially in the area of rice production.
“For the first time in history, we have seen a rice pyramid in this country. This means that Taraba state is the home of rice and has the capacity to supply most of the rice needed for self-sufficiency in this country.
“The commitment of Taraba state rice farmers in actualising rice sufficiency in the country is commendable. We are grateful to them for keeping to the terms of the loans they took by bringing their yield forward”.
Earlier, the state chairman of RIFAN, Alhaji Tanko Andamin, said the state supplies 60-70% of rice paddy to other states across the country and regretted that most of the efforts go unnoticed and unacknowledged.
According to Andamin; “The rice pyramid before you today is a testimony that Taraba state leads the entire country in rice production. The state is blessed with endless potentials
“We are constrained by lack of tractors, inputs, warehouses and irrigation facilities that are militating against rice production in the state. Let me use this opportunity to call on Mr. President to address these challenges so that our full potentials can be utilised”.
Our correspondent reports that over thirty five thousand bags of rice paddy were realized from the raining season rice farming for the processors.
