Niger State to partner NCRI for rice production

The Niger state government has finalised arrangement to enter into partnership with the National Cereals Research Institute (NCRI) to boost rice and sugar cane farming.

This was revealed by the state Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr. Jonathan Vatsa when he paid a courtesy visit to the NCRI, Badeggi at the weekend.
The commissioner for stated the state government was ready to partner with the Institute so as to boost agriculture produce.

According to him, “we have so many things to gain from the Institute and we are willing to partner with the NCRI. We want to close the gap between us and the institute so that our farmers can produce the best crops especially with varieties of seedlings.

“As we go into partnership with them, they will get us improved seeds on rice, soya beans, sugar cane and other cereals, and we will be able to feed the country and even the whole of West Africa.

“We have the human resources, the farmlands and by the time we get the improved seedlings Niger will be the state to beat. Governor Abubakar Sani Bello is ready to provide the facilities for the irrigation farming.”

Earlier, the acting Executive Director of NCRI, Dr. Samuel Agboire, called on the state government to as a matter of urgency take irrigation farming more seriously if it must take its rightful position as number one in rice production in the country.

According to him “we have the potentials to support the state; we coordinate activities of States in the north central zone where Niger state is. Light and water are our major problems. If we must compete favourably with other states, then irrigation facilities must be revived.

“To be number one producer of rice in the country, irrigation facilities must be put in place. This is a rice producing state, we have 70 rice varieties which can benefit farmers in the state. Other states have overtaken Niger that has the land mass, suitable soil, human resources and NCRI, the oldest cereals institute in the country.

While commending the state government’s team led by the Information Commissioner, he advised that the government take good advantage of the NCRI, adding that “our presence in the state has been under utilised since the establishment of the institute since 1998.”