The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has set a new target of 34 million metric tonnes of paddy production by the year 2030.
The target as contained in the new National Rice Development Strategy ( NRDS II, 2020-2030) and the Competive Africa Rice Platform (CARP), a rice strategic plan launched by the ministry yesterday, focused among other objectives to increase the use of mechanisation in rice production and processing.
With the plan, by 2030, it is expected that 66.6 MT of breeder, 5,327.3MT foundation and 426,184 MT of certified seeds would be produced and 80 percent of rice farmers would be using certified seeds.
At the launch of the plan yesterday in Abuja, minister of state for agriculture and rural development, Hon Mustapha Baba Shehuri said the NRDS seeks to provide direction for the development of the rice subsector to achieve government’s goals of self-sufficiency in rice production, food and nutrition security , employment creation and production of surplus for export.
According to him, the CARP Nigeria is a multi-stakeholders’ platform set up to advocate policies and drive transformational changes in standard practices in the rice sector and dedicated to the productivity and sustainability of the rice industry with two main objectives to ensure the competitiveness of Nigerian rice and sustainability of the sector.
He said, “I appeal to all the stakeholders to implement this all important document and CARP (SRP)-Nigeria for the benefit of our nation. I welcome further partnership and solicit passionate commitment for all stakeholders during the implementation”.
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