Although the country is a major consumer and importer of rice in Africa, spending over N1bn daily or N356bn annually on rice importation, experts hold the view and very strongly too that the country has what it takes to attain self-sufficiency in rice production.
Nigeria is the world’s second largest importer of rice behind China, with annual imports of 2.1 million metric tonnes.
A seemingly silent revolution is taking place in Doma Council area of Nasarawa State.
An initiative of an integrated firm, Olam Nigeria Limited, the silent revolution is in the form of an ambitious rice project, which is already changing both the economic and physical landscape of the community.
A visit to the community shows a quick transformation of the hitherto mass land, and desert portions into cultivable area for rice production. Trucks move in and out bringing artisans, workers or merchants buying or selling items required at the farm site.
For a first time visitor, any location in the farm appears like standing in the middle of nowhere, because the cleared land for cultivation, or already cultivated portions spread like lush ground of several kilometers seek your admiration or commendation. To say that the company in question, Olam Nigeria Limited has impacted the community in no small way is to state the obvious. And truly, it is doing so in a most profound way. In that the farming has come with a lot of benefits.
Through an ambitious rice project covering several kilometers of hitherto forlorn land, the company has provided a means of regular income for the people, and at the same time attracted a level of development.
Unlike in some of the surrounding communities, the average fellow you encounter in the community either has a direct connection with the company or has a relation or friend eking a living off the firm.
But much more, the rice is such that would trigger development of monumental dimensions while playing key role in the food security agenda of the Federal Government.
Speaking on the impact the company was making in their lives and community, Alhaji Kushunta Adi, the community leader of Ijiwo, a settlement in the area, said: “Before the coming of Olam to our community, most people in this area were idle, which is not good, but today, the story is different. In fact, at that initial time, most of excavators on the project were foreigners, but today, the company has employed many of our youths and this is helping many families here.”
According to the community leader, what Olam is doing in their community is worthy of emulation by government at different levels and other companies which have operations in Nigeria.
“In fact what they have done here is enormous. I believe if the Federal Government can copy them, the country would be better. If we have one or two other companies like this in Nigeria, it will be difficult for us as a country to import rice.”
By Adi’s estimate, between 60 – 70 per cent youths were being economically empowered in the company’s operations.
Another native, Adagoso Zakari was equally full of praise for the company. Adagoso, who hitherto had no regular means of income, said life before and after Olam could not be compared.
He said since the company employed him as rice block manager, there has been a big improvement in his circumstances.
Adagoso said unlike before when he had to toil on a between three and four acres of rice farm with little nothing to show for it, that Olam’s coming dramatically changed things for him, as at today, he is managing a farm of about 20 hectares.
He said besides himself, that at least another estimated 70-80 per cent people from the community were beneficiaries of the Olam capacity building and economic empowerment programme on rice farming.
“We have been suffering for years before Olam came. Today, I can tell you that without Olam people would not be able to do anything called farming. Before when we farmed on our own, it would yield two-three tones but today, I know the right amount of fertilizer I am supposed to apply to my farm to make it to yield.”
Echoing similar sentiments, an elated Mr. Sunday Uloko said the company has done excellently well in the community as many natives have come to understand farming better because of the magnanimity of the company which they initially received with suspicion. “In fact, most of the people had thought that the company had come to worsen their economic woes by taking over the activity from them, but their experiences overtime proved otherwise. Instead, Olam, convinced that the agriculture sector and in particular rice farming needed better technique, took it upon itself to train the local farmers.”
Abdul Salami from the Andoni community in the area, “many of us have come to understand farming better beyond just pouring in seeds in the soil”, he said adding that companies like Olam active in the agriculture sector should be supported.
According to him, the Federal Government deserves commendation for its transformation agenda, of which agriculture should play a pivotal part, but added that Nigeria has huge market for rice, and that Olam has already keyed into the market, through which it is creating about 1,000 employment daily, and that more than 85 per cent of the natives are touched by the operations of the company.
Mallam Abdulsalami Anmena, a native who works as farm officer in Olam and liaison officer between the company and the community, said the company enjoys healthy relationship with the community, adding that the latter has made huge investments in the community.
Mr. Reji George, General Manager, Olam rice farm would commence milling of 200,000 metric tonic of paddy in Doma Council by June 1, 2014
He stated that the company cultivated 6000 hectares of land to ensure adequate feed to feed its huge installed capacity ultra model.
According to him, the farm on low land is being cultivated through irrigation twice in every year to boost rice production in the country.
On the ban of rice importation, he noted that this may not be the right time to do it, despite the fact that his company’s activity would tremendously help to ameliorate the challenges faced in the country dependence on imports.
“I believe it should be a gradual process, before you ban rice or any agricultural commodity you must have to develop the local strength of rice production.”
He said the Federal Government is doing a lot in transforming the sector, especially against the background that other countries have achieved a reasonable level of internal dependence on rice cultivation saying there is no reason Nigerian could not do the same.
Giving more insight on the issue of ban on rice importation, George said: “If you plan the ban of importation of rice, companies like Olam is into commercial production of rice with 6000heatares in two cycles; making it 12,000 hectares that would definitely help bridge the demand and supply gap, and with support from other companies, in addition to the role government is playing, in few years time we would be able to bridge the demand and supply gap and we would be able to be self sufficient in rice production.”
He hinted that more than 1000 people are employed on the farm on daily basis and more than 90 percent of them are indigenes of the community.
He said when the project is completed they intend to mill 75,000mt of paddy rice and they have commissioned 3000 out growers farmers within and outside Nassarawa state to produce 20,000 of paddy rice by May 15.
“The tractors were operated by Malawian at first but now we have trained the indigenes currently operating at by the machine, and we can fully say now that most of our manpower is sourced within the local community.”
Echoing similar sentiments, the Chairman of Rice Processors of Nigeria, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, said the volume of locally processed rice as of last year stood at 750,000 metric tonnes while the target was one million to 1.5 million metric tonnes.
Despite the efforts at hitting the target and all the policies that have gone into making it a reality, locally made rice has remained almost unavailable in the local markets where smuggled variety holds sway.
“But there is disconnection between the processors and the market. It is part of what will explain why many consumers are not able to lay their hands on these local varieties. Government is trying to link them up with these producers so that they can buy from them rather than import paddy rice for processing.”
The president of Rice Millers, Importers and Distributors Association of Nigeria, Mr. Tunji Owoeye, said eliminating smuggling completely would facilitate both the backward integration policy as well as the agricultural transformation agenda of the Federal Government.
He also commended the National Assembly for their efforts at trying to bring the issues in the sector, especially tariff, under control.
Owoeye said the government’s heeding the association’s call would check the influx of smuggled rice into the country.
