-Dangote group has launched 8000 hectares of rice outgrowers scheme in Jigawa state
-The scheme is expected to create direct jobs for 5000 farmers and 5000 indirect jobs for various dependents
-The scheme is expected to be replicated in six states across Nigeria
In line with government’s move to diversify the economy and ensure food security, the Dangote group has launched 8000 hectares of rice outgrowers scheme in Jigawa state at the weekend.
The scheme which is a public-private partnership between the group and Jigawa state government is expected to reduce food imports into the country.
The launch of the scheme marked with the distribution of rice seedlings to farmers has the potential to provide direct jobs for 5000 farmers and another 5000 indirect jobs for various scheme dependents.
The rice project being executed by Dangote Rice Limited and expected to be replicated in six other states of the federation is a fallout of memorandum of understanding signed between Dangote, the federal government and the Jigawa state government.
The president of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote explained that Nigeria depended on agriculture for economic development before the discovery of oil noting that oil was meant to complement agriculture.
He said: “Before the discovery of oil, our economy was built around potentials from our palm oil, groundnut, cotton, and rubber plantations. Now the price of oil has plummeted from a peak of $116 per barrel in June 2014 to as low as $29 per barrel in January 2016, this means there is huge loss of revenue to the government.”
According to Dangote, Nigerian agricultural commodities and food imports bills has averaged over N1 trillion in the past two years, with foods like sugar, wheat, rice, fish accounting for 93 per cent of the total cost of imports.
Dangote disclosed that the scheme has been designed as a one stop solution for the rice value chain.
He said: “Farmers will be provided with training, necessary inputs with guaranteed buy back agreed price, will improve yield, production and income for the farmers.”
Speaking at the event, the minister of state for agriculture, Heneiken Lokpobiri lauded Dangote for his intervention in government efforts at providing food security, creating jobs and reducing dependency on food importation.
He expressed government readiness to provide all the needed support to make the scheme a success adding that a whooping sum of $20 billion is spent on importation of food items that could be produced locally.
The minister noted that the government is putting in place a strategy that will make farmers have greater access to farm implements to help them produce with ease.
Similarly, the Dangote Cement Plc has established two cement plants in Okpella, Edo state and Itori, Ogun state. Both plants have an annual production capacity of nine million.
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