Chairman, Rice Processors of Nigeria, Mohammed Abubakar has said he was sure the minister of Agriculture, Dr Akinwunmi Adesina would fight to end hunger in Africa if elected the President of the African Development Bank (AfDB).
“If Akinwumi (Adesina) becomes President of the AfDB, one thing I am sure of, is he is going to fight hunger head-on and that will help Africa a lot”
Abubakar who also owns Umza Rice Mills, pointed Adesina as the best man for the position to help Africa fight poverty and hunger.
He spoke to journalists in Abuja yesterday. “Africa needs somebody strong and focused like him to tackle the agricultural sector which is our best bet. Other continents have reached where they are now because of agriculture and we in Africa have the right atmosphere to do that” he said
He said,” I strongly believe Adeshina can cause a turnaround in the African Agricultural sector and I hope he is giving this opportunity not only for the sake of Nigeria but for Africa as a whole. I am sure with him as the President of AfDB, we will see changes in the fight against hunger and generation of employment among others. I am sure he will deliver and very well at that”.
The Honourable called on the incoming administration to maintain the agricultural policies implemented by the Minister through the Agricultural Transformation Agenda, asserting “it is a good policy”
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He rated the GES policy as one of the best things to happen to Nigerian Farmers. “GES has worked, we only hope it improves and is sustained” he said of the policy.
He noted that as a result of the efforts of the Minister, there has been tremendous development in rice development and processing in Nigeria. He recalled that in the past “what we were producing in the past 4 years was less than 1.2 metric tonnes; today, our farmers can boast of producing 67mm tonnes of paddy, that is combining wet and dry season farming”.
He added that processing capacity is where Nigeria is still lacking, recalling that” in the last 4 years we could boast of only one rice mill but today can boast of almost 20, these are developments coming on rapidly and those who had been in business in the last 60 years will not just fold their arms and watch, so they are fighting the success”
Alhaji Abubakar noted that the price of local rice was still high because of high processing cost, lack of power, transportation cost, poor railway system among others, further positing that most imported rice that sell cheaper are smuggled goods in which taxes are not paid.” if rice is brought in legally with all the necessary duty paid, it cannot sell cheaper than the locally produced one at best, we will be at par” he said.
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