Rice Production In Nigeria

The need to make Nigeria self-sufficient in rice production necessitated the introduction of improved ways of producing, processing and storage through various government inter interventions to enhance domestic rice production in the country. Attaining self-sufficiency in rice production involves strong policy formulation and implementation aimed at infusing improved seeds, machines and techniques into rice farming. Several policies had been introduced in the past but failed to achieve the desired target of increasing local production to a level of self-sufficiency and exportation. Policy gap from successive administrations, corruption and insincerity on part of driving agencies also contributed to this debacle. This study was therefore carried

1997).It has emerged as one of the fastest growing agricultural sub-sector and has moved from a ceremonial to a staple food in many Nigerian homes within the last two decades, such that some families cannot do without rice in a day. Nwachukwu (2008) reported that as a staple food in Nigeria, rice accounts for 40 percent of the diet of the country’s population but production has been growing at a slow rate relative to consumption within the last years. Nigeria ranked second largest importer of rice in the world after Indonesia. If the present import scenario persists, huge import bill would be expended on rice. The future may even be gloomier, considering the rice prices in the world market which have risen by as much as 40 percent are predicted to rise further. The enormous rice importation has been considered by various governments/regimes as an avoidable drain on the country’s foreign exchange earnings in view of the abundant natural endowments for expanded rice production in Nigeria. Adequate, appropriate and sustainable policies on rice production need to be made to combat the foreseen gloom that can befall the country if it continues to rely on importation of most of the consumed rice and neglecting local

The coastal swamp areas in Delta, Ondo, Lagos, Rivers, Bayelsa, Akwa-Ibom and Cross River states are suitable for swamp rice production. This covers a potential 1 million ha of land, but at present not up to 1000 ha is cultivated (Imolehin & Wada, 2000). This vast potential lies waste due to neglect given the cheap harvest of petro-dollar in these oil producing states. Mangrove rice is produced only in Warri and on Shell Company farms in Bayelsa state. According to Moormann et al. (1986), the development of unused mangrove swamps for rice cultivation is a long-term endeavour that must be based on hydrologic, soil and socio-economic surveys and of course appropriate technology (Singh et al., 1997). Mangrove Swamp Rice is no longer a core ecosystem under WARDA's mandate its huge potentials in Nigeria notwithstanding (WARDA,