Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS), Dr Marcus Ogunbiyi, has announced a new partnership between the Ministry and the Coalition for African Rice Development (CARD) aimed at boosting rice production in Nigeria.
He shared this development during the 2025 Annual Rice Sector Review meeting in Abuja, which focused on the theme “Reviewing Progress Mobilizing Partnership.” The meeting provided an opportunity to assess the progress made under the National Rice Development Strategy II (NRDS, 2020-2030) and discuss ways to enhance partnerships and attract investments to make Nigeria’s rice sector globally competitive.
Dr Ogunbiyi, who was represented by Oshadiya Olanipekun, the Director of Agricultural Land and Climate Change Management Services Department, emphasized that the meeting was crucial not only for evaluating past progress but also for strengthening collaborative efforts to transform Nigeria’s rice industry.
He highlighted that the sector is now ready for significant investments in areas such as mechanization, climate-smart technologies, and modern processing and milling infrastructure to increase rice production across the country.
Attendees at the meeting included representatives from CARD, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Africa Rice, and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), among others.
According to Dr Ogunbiyi, Nigeria has made notable progress in rice production, with improvements in yields due to better farming practices and the introduction of improved seed varieties. He also noted that processing capacity has expanded and that the involvement of youth and women in the rice value chain is growing. These achievements are significant, and Dr Ogunbiyi emphasized the need to sustain them.
He stressed that continued technical and financial support would be key to unlocking the full potential of Nigeria’s rice sector. This would create jobs, reduce the country’s reliance on rice imports, ensure food security, and contribute to the broader agricultural transformation agenda for Africa, as outlined by CARD.
The Permanent Secretary further pointed out that there are key areas ripe for investment, including the adoption of mechanization and climate-smart technologies to boost productivity, the development of modern processing and milling facilities to ensure high-quality rice that meets international standards, and the promotion of climate-resilient rice farming systems.
Mr Mike Nasamu, Regional Adviser for CARD, emphasized that rice is a staple crop in Nigeria, and the meeting would be instrumental in shaping a more sustainable food system for the country.
