…… Proffers solutions
From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
The Rice Processors Association of Nigeria (RIPAN) has cited smuggling, lingering insecurity, and inflation as the causes of the country’s growing hike in the prices of rice and urged the next administration to implement fresh policies that will strengthen the industry.
Speaking at a press conference Tuesday in Abuja, RIPAN Director General, Andy Ekwelem, applauded the President Muhammed Buhari-led administration for its support thus far and listed ways that the next administration may deepen and strengthen the nation’s rice sub-sector
According to the DG, one of the key areas that the new Government should take immediate actions on is in the repositioning of the Nigeria Custom Services (NCS) for effective manning of the borders
“Smuggling of Rice across the land Borders is the main bane of the Nigeria Rice Sub-sector. The incoming administration must have to device a new strategy of dealing with smugglers and economic saboteurs if we want our food security programmes as well as the huge investments of both the Government of Nigeria and the private sector in the Rice subsector to survive.” He noted.
Further speaking, he said the Nigeria’s current Border Surveillance System should be re-organized to enable the Customs and other agencies at the borders, carry out all weather surveillance.
“Modern security equipment such as Long-Range Surveillance Drones, Video monitors and night vision scopes should be deployed to our border security if they are not currently being used.
“Also, the working conditions and welfare packages/benefits of the Nigeria Custom Service as well as other Government Agencies at the borders should be reviewed upwards as a strategy to incentivize the officers.” Ekwelem stated.
Similarly, the RIPAN Head called for more functional and industry friendly seed policy through sound research in Foundation Seeds Production and the need for funding for Backwards Integration
“There will be need for a funding programme to enable Processors engage in Paddy Production through large scale farming, out grower Scheme, contract farming
“There will be urgent need to encourage State Government to ease bottlenecks in the processes of acquiring Land for largescale farming of Paddy rice.” He observed.
On infrastructure, he said “We hope that the incoming administration will deploy emergence action towards the repair/ expansion irrigation facilities across the country to enable multiple cycle of cultivation. We also hope that the federal and state governments through their ministries of agriculture and rural development will consider better ways to effectively manage and maintain the dams within their purview. Indeed, it is will be very beneficial to Nigerian Agriculture if they will commence the de-silting of the various dams and bodies of water within the country to help provide for the water needed by farmers for irrigation as well as mitigate flooding.
“Also, the Government will need to an emergence intervention on Power Generation and supply to industries to lessen the burden of huge capital investment in diesel power generation so that finished products can be competitive
“The Government will seriously consider building good road infrastructure especially to rural communities where the farmers mostly reside to enable them transport harvested crops to the market
Ekwelem noted that the the Ministry of Agriculture will have to develop a viable mechanized service programme for the provision of Tractors and Planters, Threshers and Dryers and strategic farm-silo/warehouses to curb post-harvest and others losses to small holder rural farmers who form the bulk of crop producers in the country.
“We would advise the government to design and create an agricultural flagship platform that can lend to agriculture at single interest rate as it is practiced globally. This could be achieved through the creation of a “grain risk fund” that can take care of the exigencies of the grain industry.” He added.