Kebbi State, Nigeria’s leading hub for rice production, has become a blueprint for agricultural transformation in West Africa, drawing the attention of a high-powered delegation of Gambian agricultural experts who arrived on a study tour to explore Nigeria’s strides towards food self-sufficiency.
Led by Ambassador Alhagie Nyangado, Permanent Secretary at The Gambia’s Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Food Security, on Tuesday, noted that “Kebbi is living proof that food security is possible in Africa,” Nyangado said after touring expansive irrigation systems and mechanized farms.
“We came to learn, and what we’ve seen gives us both direction and hope.”
With over 90% of its rice still imported, The Gambia is under pressure to localize food production.
For the visiting team, Kebbi’s success offers a real-world template for change backed by years of deliberate state support, modern farming techniques, and free access to quality inputs.
Governor Nasir Idris described the visit as a landmark moment in West African agricultural cooperation.
“This is not just about Kebbi or Nigeria it’s about Africa rising together through shared solutions,” he said.
“We are ready to work with The Gambia to build capacity, share technology, and co-develop strategies for food self-sufficiency.”
The study visit underscores a growing shift toward intra-African collaboration in agriculture, one where countries learn from each other’s victories rather than reinvent the wheel.
Furthermore, as the delegation continues its mission across Nigeria, Kebbi’s rice fields may soon inspire a rice revolution far beyond its borders, one that could change the future of farming in The Gambia.
