Why Nigeria Doesn’t Export Rice And It’s The Biggest Rice Producing Country In Africa -By Muhammad Sani Isah

Nigeria only exported 200 tons of yam. The country does not export rice. But it is the biggest rice producer in Africa. It cannot export rice because it lacks the infrastructure to mill rice to internationally acceptable standard.

India had the highest export volume of rice worldwide, at 9.8 million metric tons as of 2018/2019. Thailand was the second largest rice exporter, with about 7.56 million metric tons of rice worldwide in that year.

Most of our agricultural exports were rejected in US and Europe because they got rotten in transit. Nigeria did not invest in agricultural infrastructure and with that the structure of agriculture industry virtually remains the same. Those supporting this government will not find this post funny, but truth must be told, the bitter truth.

When World Bank accused us of lack of capital and sustainable investment in agriculture, it was making reference to absence of dams and canals and other irrigation infrastructure in our country.

When India has 1.5million tractors, Nigeria has only 30,000 tractors(according to NationMaster.com) a reliable think thank on agricultural matters.

Most of the tractors in Nigeria are in warehouses while the combined harvesters are in educational institutions mainly for demonstration and display during agricultural shows.

In fact Nigeria has 0.233 tractor per 1000 farmers, while Slovenia, a country the size of Anambra has 54 tractors per 1000 farmers, the reason why despite our vast land mass, Slovenia actually out-produced us in agriculture,a very grim and sad comparison.

World Bank has compared our spending habits on agriculture with Botswana saying that while we spend on expendables like fertiliser (with most of the funds stolen by politicians),Botswana spends its money on capital, mostly irrigation infrastructure.

Nigeria has never gone closer to its potential as an agriculturally endowed nation, if it had done that, agriculture could suck in millions of our youths roaming streets and stop them from committing all sorts of crimes.

With so much tractors in the hands of farmers and its vast land, India overtook Thailand as world’s biggest producer of rice. Nigeria can do same to overtake Botswana. What 20,000 farmers will accomplish in a field in 24 hours, is what one tractor will achieve in one hour.

China has maintained number one position in the production of wheat for the past 50 years.

Our agriculture minister, Sabo Nanono read business administration. He has no knowledge or experience in his new assignment. He did not talk of how to revitalise unused dams like Tiga,Thomas,and also rivers Argungu,Gongola,Wudil ,kiri and orji etc or the river basins in Hadejia and lower Benue.

This is another false start by Nigeria towards revolution and growth in agriculture,the year 2020 is just a waste as many farmers have been prevented from tilling their lands by pervasive insecurity in the North.