Nigeria has overtaken Egypt as the largest rice producer in Africa, Director-General,Africa Rice Center, Benin Republic, Dr Harold Roy-Macauley has said .
Roy-Macauley, told The Nation that Nigeria is now the largest rice producer at 4 million tonnes a year.
Egypt
was producing 4.3 tonnes annually but production has reduction by
almost 40 percent this year, attributed to the Egyptian government
decision to limit cultivated to preserve water resources.
Egypt rice cultivation requires about 1.8 billion metres of water in evaporation, transpiration and irrigation each year.
Africa produces an average of 14.6 million tonnes of rough rice annually.
He
said there were efforts to increase overall rice production in Africa
but expressed doubts that it will curb rice importation as population
has increased across the continent.
He said consumers are looking for rice that safe and certified.
To
meet expectations, he said his centre is ready to partner with Nigeria
and other governments in Africa to train farmers, extension officers and
exporters on best practice’s in cultivation and post- harvest care and
to understand market requirements.
Roy- Macauley stressed the
African rice value chain needs to be better integrated and be capable of
competing with imported rice in terms of quality.
He added that
the goal to achieving rice self- sufficiency is not just about on farm
assistance but also involves introducing rice varieties that fit the
diverse African agro-ecologies, improve irrigation facilities and
disseminate rice growing techniques to farmers.
Source:- Thenationonlineng
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