The Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) has decried low production output due to inconsistencies on the part of the farmers.
RIFAN Lagos State chairman Raphael Hunsa disclosed this in an interview with journalists on Sunday in Lagos.
Mr Hunsa noted that despite the support and interventions from the state government, some local farmers were inconsistent in the cultivation of the produce.
“We have been producing rice in Lagos consistently for a while now, and our rice is very nutritious. However, our local production is not enough to meet the growing demand for the produce,” Mr Hunsa said.
He said last year’s production capacity was low compared to demand, as farmers could only produce 3,800 tonnes.
“The Lagos State government, through its Ministry of Agriculture and Food Systems, has been of great help to the sector through various interventions.
“However, there is a limit to how much the government can help farmers if farmers are not consistent in going to their farms.
“If the government is helping local rice farmers, they must utilise the aid by making sure they are consistent in cultivation,” Mr Hunsa said.
He also noted that most farmers have not cultivated their farms this year because they are waiting for the government’s intervention in irrigation systems.
Mr Hunsa urged farmers to be consistent in cultivation to increase production and meet growing demands.
“We also advise the government that whenever they want to empower farmers, they should go through the association leaders so the intervention gets to the right hands.
“We, however, urge the government not to relent in supporting local farmers in order to achieve food security and increased production output,” he said.
On his part, Shakin Agbayewa, the deputy chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria, blamed climate change as a major factor hindering the production output.
“Local rice farmers are not producing enough due to a lot of factors.
Foremost, climate change is a problem; the weather is so hot, and not all farmers have access to irrigation.
“So, many farmers are waiting for the rainy season before they begin cultivation of their farms. But the problem of waiting for the rainy season is that a lot of the farms get washed away in flooding incidences.
“The government may give us intervention for a four-month farming cycle, but after that, what do the farmers do? Access to irrigation systems is a major problem for local rice farmers, and the government needs to intervene in this area to increase production output for the sector,” Mr Agbayewa said.
The National Bureau of Statistics, in its Lagos forecasts of 2024/25 rice consumption, places it at 7.4 MMT.
The increase could be ascribed to consumer inclination to purchase rice due to its affordability in comparison to other staple foods.
(NAN)
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