The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) and Competitive African Rice Initiative (CARI) are collaborating to sustain rice production through national and international platforms.
The Country Coordinator of CARI Nigeria, Mr. Adegoke Kazeem, said this on Friday at the 1st edition of the National Working Group
(NWG) meeting of rice sector stakeholders on Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP).
Kazeem said the SRP was a global platform for multi-stakeholders partnership to promote resource efficiency and sustainability both on-farm and throughout the rice development.
“This would demand high level of commitment, adequate knowledge of the Nigeria Rice Value Chain and your organisation and individual interest in shaping its potential future trajectory.
“One of the objectives was to develop common visions that are aligned with the overall SRP vision and develop a roadmap outline to address priority national challenge,” he said.
Kazeem said the platform would drive rice sector transformation, facilitate new alliances and create share value.
He said the SRP was supported by UN Environment and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).
Kazeem noted that the platform would improve smallholder livelihoods in developing countries, adding that it would also reduce environmental footprint of rice production.
Hajiya Karima Babangida, the Director, Federal Department of Agriculture, said the meeting would avail stakeholders the opportunity to discuss issues in promoting SRP to support in increasing domestic rice production in Nigeria.
Babangida, who was represented by the deputy director, Department of Cereals and Field Crops, FMARD, Dr. Fatima Aliyu, said the ministry requested the CARI to be implemented by German Development Cooperation (GIZ).
