In 2018, Kebbi accounted for over 70℅ of Nigeria’s rice requirement

The government of Kebbi says the state accounted for over 70 per cent of Nigeria’s total rice production in 2018.

The state Commissioner of Agriculture, Abdullahi Maigari Dakingari, made this known during a capacity building of youth and women farmers to address yield gap.

He said apart from rice production, the state was also into cassava farming.

The Commissioner, who was represented by his Permanent Secretary, Joel Aiki, explained that the state was at present cultivating 3,000 hectares of cassava, adding that plan was in the pipeline to cultivate additional 15,000 hectares.

“Kebbi State facilitated rice production in Nigeria that makes the country to cater for over 70 per cent of its rice requirement,” he said.

In his address, the Director, Federal Department of Agriculture, Mrs. Karina Babangida, said Nigeria was the leading producer of cassava in the world though, grappled with low yield of below 10 metric tons per hectare compared to other countries.

The Director, who was represented by her deputy, Hakeem Raji, said the country had the potentials of producing varieties of the commodity which could aid in addressing the problem of low yield.

“Nigeria has the potential of having good varieties that could give more than 40mt/ha, assuring that the challenges possed by low yield could be surmounted,” he said.