That Bailout Call By Rice Farmers

Self-sufficiency in food production in Nigeria has for years, remained an elusive national aspiration in spite of the fact that successive federal governments have made it, or so claimed, to have it as key priority. Yes, the country had at various times embarked on projects such as Operation Feed The Nation (OFN) and Green Revolution (GR), yet, scarcity of food still persists in the country to the extent that most families are badly hit.

Obviously, such food crops such as rice, vegetable, yam and cassava have become the staple needs. Indeed, a number of indigenous corporate organisations have invested their resources into rice farming as a means of increasing the availability of the staple in Nigerian markets, but such efforts have failed to bridge the yawning gap between demand and supply of the essential staple.

The reasons for poor rice production in the country are not far-fetched. They include the non-availability of improved seedlings, lack of capacity utilization, poor funding, lack of encouragement, dearth of modern farming implements, crass lack of commitment by government, too much focus on the oil and gas industry, and inability to change from primitive to modern method of farming, especially mechanised farming, among others. All these factors have collectively hindered the ability of local rice farmers to produce sufficient quantity and high quality rice to feed Nigerians, and sustain the economy.

It is against this backdrop that we see the recent call by Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) for a freeze in rice importation as a paradox of sorts. On the one hand, it should evoke the support of well-meaning Nigerians, who believe that increased local production would create more job opportunities for our youths, ensure food security and promote an alternative revenue source for the economy. On the other, the call deserves to be treated with caution in view of the fact that ban on importation of rice could subject the citizenry to a season of hunger and starvation, particularly as the potentials of the agricultural sector have not been fully tapped.

No doubt, self-sufficiency in local production of rice would provide the catalyst for the nation’s socio-economic development. However, every effort to encourage individuals and groups in the agricultural sector to improve their productivity, over the years, has not yielded the desired result for very obvious reasons.

We recall that a few years ago, same arguments being made now by RIFAN were made, which resulted in a provisional ban on rice importation. But shortly thereafter, government’s patriotic response had to be relaxed because the rice farmers could hardly fill the gap created by the ban, without the much anticipated increased production. Given the prevailing circumstances, it is difficult to see how RIFAN hopes to fill that gap now.

The Tide, therefore, urges the government to encourage not only rice farmers but others with a view to increasing their productivity by availing them improved crop varieties, and tax waivers as well as modern agricultural machines, to help boost commercial production. We also reckon that rice farmers, just like textile sector movers, need government bail-out to enable them meet the consumption needs of Nigerians, and if possible, for export. A mechanism should be put in place to ensure that only qualified and accredited farmers benefit from the government’s intervention measure.

Even so, we call on the three tiers of government to join hands with RIFAN to implement strategic policies that would add value to rice production, processing, distribution and marketing, and check the intermittent resort to the strategic reserves for the supply of grains in Nigeria. This way, we believe that the N23million contract awarded in 2009 by the Federal Government for the construction of small-scale rice processing centres in the country would make meaningful impact in the economy.

 While The Tide believes that rice farmers can close the gap between demand and supply of the staple, if given the necessary encouragement, we also note that the farmers need to rededicate themselves to their calling by being productive, and avoid the pit-falls of the past. It is on this basis that we support the bail-out call by rice farmers. But not the canvassed ban on importation of rice, which in our view, shall be hasty.