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The federal government has said that with additional 100 large scale rice mills, Nigeria could produce 2.1 million metric tonnes of rice annually.
At the signing of a Tripartite Implementation Agreement between the Ministry of Agriculture, Taraba State Government, and Dominion Rice Integrated Farms Ltd, on the establishment of an integrated rice farm in Taraba State at the weekend, the Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, disclosed that within six (6) months, three rice mills with the capacity to produce 90,000 metric tonnes of rice have been completed.
He said, "We have set for ourselves the goal of being one of the top 20 countries in our vision 20:20:20. Despite our recent challenges with insecurity in some parts of our nation, Nigeria is rising. But even as we do, we must recognise that easy access to food is the best way of securing a nation, for a hungry man is an angry man. National security must start with food security, for peace and democracy cannot be built on empty stomachs.”
Speaking on the project covering 30,000 hectares, Adesina said that it was expected to produce 2.4 crop cycles per year when fully operational and would rank among the largest in Africa requiring up to 15,000 trained men and women.
- By Grace Azubuike, Abuja
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