Nigeria is one of the countries of the world blessed with green land for agriculture which her forefathers were known for.
No wonder in the southern part of the country, school pupils are made to memorize a song in Yoruba language that western education without hoe and cutlasses is not a complete education.
Previous administrations in the country had introduced various programmes such as Operation Feed the Nation, Green Revolution to boost agriculture.
The present administration is not different as it has made agriculture one of its cardinal points to prevent total reliance on foreign goods as well as to improve the nation’s economy.
The administration in its first tenure embarked on vigorous campaigns and sensitizations of the people on the need to embrace local production of crops with emphasis on rice production.
Soft loans were introduced to motivate rice farmers as well as to encourage more Nigerians to embark on rice production.
Subsequently, the Federal Government in collaboration with some states like Ebonyi, Kebbi and Lagos invested billions of naira in the production of local rice with a ban on the importation of foreign rice.
The ban on rice importation did not go down well with some Nigerians who believed that local rice were not available and that commencement of its production by few states might be insufficient to adequately feed the nation.
Commendably, the Federal Government’s determination and the bold step to commence large scale production of rice with few states and granting of soft loans to rice farmers are appreciated by Nigerians during this period of pandemic.
More so, many have wondered how Nigerians would have survived in this period when importation of goods is impossible due to international lock down caused by Covid-19.
Now that Nigerians are appreciative of the little efforts so far in the local production of rice, the Federal Government should increase funding of the produce.
Furthermore, more states should support this laudable project by supporting local production of rice by farmers.
Corporate organisations and other wealthy individuals in the country need to see the project as a collective responsibility to revive the nation’s economy and make local rice more affordable.
The media should also join the crusade of sensitizing Nigerians through various programmes and jingles on their expected roles in rice production.
Above all, it should be realized that investment in this direction will improve the nation’s economy, increase rice availability, create jobs as well as reduce crimes often perpetrated by jobless youths.
Aderemi Omotoso