The Northern Emancipation Network NEN has expressed delight over President Muhammadu Buhari’s food security efforts as no fewer than 61 integrated rice millers began to evacuate the paddy rice pyramids, which was unveiled in Abuja as indication of the growing capacity of local rice producers.
NEN noted that with the commissioning 13 mega pyramids of paddy rice by President Buhari, confidence has been raised that the government’s growing food production effort in the country, especially the expansion in rice farming, will eventually bring down prices of food, making it more affordable for all.
The Group in a statement by its Secretary General, Suleiman Abbah urged Nigerians to be patient and support the government’s efforts towards ensuring food sufficiency which is the backbone of development in every society.
“Moving from where we are to where we want to be requires a lot of patience and enduring faith. Already, the millions of paddy rice bags are being evacuated for processing and further refinement to make the produce fit for human consumption, which is no doubt a commendable effort,” Abbah said.
The Group recalled that in an unprecedented bid to ensure Nigeria’s food security and abundance, the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria, RIFAN, under the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN’s Anchor Borrowers’ Programme, stacked the largest single paddy rice pyramid in Nigeria’s history.
“It is even more commendable that the stacked unprocessed rice was gathered from the 36 states of the federation, representing a paltry 10 per cent of the produce of all the farmers who participated in the Anchor Borrowers Programme,” Abbah said.
He said the commencement of the evaluation of the rice for processing certainly calls for celebration as it will eventually reduce the market price of the staple food, and make it affordable and accessible to the masses when the value of the programme fully becomes reality.
