SFSA to Improve Rice Production Techniques in Nigeria
Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture (SFSA), has disclosed plans to deploy rice production technology from China as part of efforts to improve rice production in the country.
Robert Berlin, head of Agricultural Services Operations (SFSA), said at a high-level stakeholders’ workshop organized by the Foundation in collaboration with Derftdan Resources, that they were working to translate China’s successful value chain technologies and practices into approaches to be used in Nigeria’s rice production.
He explained that, “The workshop’s purpose was to validate SFSA’s and Derftdan Resources’ assessment for strengthening the rice value chain and analyze study recommendations.”
According to the Nigeria Country Program Manager, Mr Isaiah Gabriel, the study was conducted by the two organizations in order to address inefficiencies in the entire supply chain and to provide an overview of rice production, post-harvest processing and marketing segments.
“Our goal is also to identify challenges and gaps, and explore strategies for translating China’s successful value chain practices into approaches that can be adopted in the country to boost its rice production and processing.”
He added, that the study was supported by 2,249 farmers’ surveys across eight states of Cross Rivers, Edo, Ebonyi, Jigawa, Kano, Kebbi, Nasarawa and Niger.
Earlier in his keynote address, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Mohammed Abubakar, represented by the Deputy Director, of Rice Value Chain, Bashir Umar, commended the Foundation for its unrelenting contribution towards strengthening the rice value chain in Nigeria.
He assured the participants of the Federal Government’s readiness to support smallholder farmers and bridge the funding gap.
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