The Rice Farmers Affiliation of Nigeria (RIFAN) has decried low manufacturing output within the sector as a result of inconsistencies on the a part of the farmers.
RIFAN Lagos State Chairman, Mr Raphael Hunsa, disclosed this in an interview with the Information Company of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Lagos.
Hunsa famous that despite the help and interventions from the state authorities, some native farmers have been inconsistent within the cultivation of the produce.
“We have now been producing rice in Lagos persistently for some time now and our rice may be very nutritious. Nevertheless, our native manufacturing is just not sufficient to fulfill the rising demand of the produce.
“Our manufacturing capability is kind of low. Final yr, we have been solely in a position to produce 3,800 tonnes of rice, which is a far cry from the demand on the bottom.
“The Lagos State Authorities by way of its Ministry of Agriculture and Meals Programs has been of nice assist to the sector by way of numerous interventions.
“Nevertheless, there’s a restrict to how a lot the federal government may also help farmers if the farmers should not constant in going to their farms.
“If the federal government helps native rice farmers, they have to utilise the help by ensuring they’re constant in cultivation,” Hunsa mentioned.
He additionally famous that almost all farmers haven’t cultivated their farms this yr as a result of they’re ready for presidency’s intervention in irrigation methods.
“As an affiliation, we urge our members to be constant in cultivation with a purpose to improve our manufacturing output and meet rising calls for.
“We additionally advise the authorities that every time they need to empower farmers, they need to undergo the affiliation leaders, so the intervention will get to the precise fingers.
“We, nevertheless, urge the federal government to not relent in supporting native farmers with a purpose to obtain meals safety and elevated manufacturing output,” he mentioned.
On his half, Mr Shakin Agbayewa, the Deputy Chairman, All Farmers Affiliation of Nigeria, blamed local weather change as a significant factor hindering the manufacturing output of the sector.
“Native rice farmers should not producing sufficient as a result of numerous components. Foremost is the local weather change is the issue, the climate is so scorching and never all farmers have entry to irrigation.
“So, many farmers are ready for the wet season earlier than they start cultivation of their farms. However the issue of ready for the wet season is that numerous the farms get washed away in flooding incidences.“The federal government might give us intervention for a four- month farming cycle however after then what do the farmers do?“Entry to irrigation methods is a serious drawback for native rice farmers, the federal government must intervene on this space to extend manufacturing output for the sector,” Agbayewa mentioned.
NAN recollects that the Nationwide Bureau of Statistics in its Lagos forecasts of 2024/25 rice consumption, locations it at 7.4 MMT
The rise might be ascribed to client inclination to buy rice as a result of its affordability compared to different staple meals.
