How NCRI plans to triple rice production in Nigeria

By Sade Oguntola - updated: Wednesday 16-07-2008

Dr. Anthony Ochigbo,
NCRI Director

Rice is the stable food of many. Irrespective of the time of the day, children especially would enjoyed rice meal. However, with the current scarcity in rice market world over, made price of the commodity to shut up, efforts are in to gear to ensure that Nigeria is rice-sufficient and also export it to neighboring countries to generate revenue.

This effort was recently given a boost by the Federal Government when it saddled the Nigerian Cereal Research Institute with the mandate to set out to ensure that the yield of rice triples. Although, the production of rice has many contending factors, such as inputs, especially fertilizer and high yielding rice varieties for various ecologies in Nigeria.

Executive Director, Nigerian Cereals Research Institute (NCRI) ,Badeggi, Dr. Anthony Ochigbo, said that the most important factor to production is to have the technical ability to utilize the present high productivity technologies available for production. At train, the trainers’ workshop on Rice Production and Processing Technology for the southwestern zone of the country, Dr. Anthony Ochigbo talked about governments’ efforts at achieving rice sufficiency.

According to him, ‘solving the problem had to start with the government providing funds, training its personnel and indirectly educating farmers on appropriate planting, harvesting, processing and storage of rice. Dr. Ochigbo stated, “We want to equip them so that they can pass the same to farmers. Particularly all the varieties, the time of planting, especially in the South, which is very important because of the rainy season.”

Acknowledging that a good rice yield require the use of inputs, he said even as the research institute provides the high yielding rice varieties suitable for different ecological zones through the National Seed Service, “It is good that the government is supplying fertilizer, in particular; insecticides, herbicides so that planting can be done at the appropriate time in the South because of the rainy season.

He expressed satisfaction that rice farmers’ associations in the country are getting stronger and so, we will help to ensure that all rice farmers are reached. Though, there are plans to continually informing the public on how they can all come on board as rice farmers, adding that the institute will also tap into the network of agriculture development programme of each state to reach farmers, on where they can get seeds to buy for planting, where to getting inputs for farming as well as other information that will boost rice production.

Dr. Ochigbo said that another challenge to increase rice production was processing and towards this, the government has made 18 million naira available to encourage both small and medium processing plants, which are to be given to people on subsidy “The committee to oversee this had been set up and given that, you start to talk of milling after planting, which is towards the dry season, people need to have being empowered to take loans to go into processing.

He stated that the NCRI have also applied for loans to produce more of the milling machines it developed and will be making it at available to farmers to use. When farmers know that our milling machines are economic and that they work very well, people will take more to milling rice.” He reassured the institute readiness through the ADP monthly, technology review meetings continue to propagate different rice production technologies and rice varieties for various ecological zones and their unique problems like rice gull mealy, which the institutes have.

“We have rice varieties for various ecological zones, which the institute developed. We have our substations all over the country: one in Ibadan, Uyo, Aba and Akwa Ibom States, which they are to care for particular problems, in their zones. “ We have soil acidity problems and so on and there are rice varieties that can withstand such a problem. In Ebonyi area, we have African gull mealy and we have varieties that can withstand that; so anytime and anywhere a farmer comes from, we have an appropriate high yielding rice varieties that they can plant. That is why government has given us money and we are producing and were already increasing our planting materials against next year.

Dr. Ochigbo said that there is no reason for people not patronize local rice because it is better than imported rice “It tastes better, the aroma is better, and so on. All those imported rice are merely glossy and beautiful to look at because they are polished. By the time you cook a polished rice, it easily turn watery but local rice is not so. The local rice however is crispy. You don’t know how long they have even milled the rice. They are junks. They are just polished. They are good-looking but not as fresh as our own.”

NVMA begins war against quackery

By Sade Adeniyi

Veterinary medical practitioners have once again been advised to shun activities and behaviour that are contrary to the ethics of their profession, conduct themselves like a thorough bred animal doctors and avoid any business transaction that can bring disrepute to their image as well as that of their professional association.

The warning and advise came recently from the leadership of the Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA), Oyo State chapter when the umbrella body of association issued certificates of membership and registration of premises to some veterinarians in private practice in in Ibadan.

The National president, Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA) Prof. Garba Sharubutu decried the rate at which fake and unregistered veterinary doctors are bastardising the image of the profession in the country, adding that drastic actions needed to be taken to curb the increasing rate of quackery in the profession and a major clog in the wheel of progress of the profession in the country.

He lamented at the way and manner some veterinarians are practising the profession, which he said was unethical. According to him, there are lots of quacks in the profession now to the extent that one even find it very difficult to know the authentic veterinary doctors.

Commenting on the activities of veterinary doctors in the South Western zone of the country, Prof. Sharubutu stated that though the zone is well known for its high level of education, dedication to duty, forthrightness and sophistication, yet there is a high level of quackery.

“The Western zone of the country is a peculiar zone with a lot of things to emulate. It is a well know fact that the people of the zone are hard working, highly educated and coupled with the attributes of all other good things, but there lots of vacuum and loopholes which regulatory agencies need to block which is giving room for quackery in veterinary profession as well as in other sector.” he noted.

Speaking further, Prof. Sharubutu said “it is human resources that regulate things, and when there is no regular appointment in government system, you cannot talk of curbing vices like quackery.

However, to make things work as it is ought to be and to prevent piracy and quackery not only in veterinary profession, but in other sector of the economy, government must employ people that are capable of regulating the activities of professionals, especially veterinary medical practitioners and this is one of the factors that inform the association critically evaluating the activities of veterinary doctors not only in the South Western zone, but also in other parts of the country and we came to the conclusion of giving official recognition to those doctors observing the ethics and principles of the profession by officially registering the premises of those in private practice in order to separate the seeds from the shafts,” he emphasised.

He however commended the Lagos State government for taking some drastic steps to prevent unethical practices in many abattoirs in the state in order to prevent outbreak of zoonotic diseases, which could emanate from unhygienic practices of abattoirs workers and operators as well as meat sellers.

Prof. Sharubutu however tasked other state governments in the country to emulate what the Lagos State government is doing to eradicate quackery and prevent unhygienic practices and behaviours among abattoirs workers and meat sellers by embarking on what he called central modernisation of abattoirs with the use of automate machines and equipment rather than the analogue type.

This, he further noted will also go a long way in preventing food poisoning that is now rampant in different parts of the country. He however advised any state government who cannot automate the activities of abattoirs in their state to privatise such abattoirs for efficient performance and good health of members of the public.

For Dr. Segun Oriade, the Vice-Chairman, Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA), Oyo State Chapter, one of the immediate solutions to problems confronting veterinary doctors is the failure of many state governments to engage the services of veterinary doctors to fully be in charge of our abattoirs.

“State governments in the country need to sit down with veterinary doctors to draw up laws that will help in monitoring the activities going on in most of our abattoirs. There is also the need for code of conducts for abattoir operators.

But the big question that need to be asked is: Do we even have enough veterinary doctors in all the local governments of the federation going by Dasuki reports? Dr. Oriade however tasked veterinary doctors especially those in private practices to as a matter of necessity register their premises with the association in order to prevent the offices from being closed down and most importantly, to curb quackery in the profession.

“That is one of the reasons we are embarking on the public awareness campaign in order to fully sensitise members of the public to know the big difference between the quack and registered members of the association,” he reiterated. Dr. Ibrahim Adekunle, president, Association of Private Veterinary Medical Association, Oyo and Osun States warned against illegal slaughtering of animals in undesignated places across the country.

He also warned those slaughtering animals outside legal abattoirs to desist from such act, adding that as from now on, they will be arrested and handed over to law enforcement agent for further prosecution.

He also tasked veterinary doctors, especially those in private practice who are yet to register their premises to do so on time because the association has perfected plans to shut any unregistered animal clinic or premises and arrest quacks bringing direspute to the profession. “From now on, it is a war against quackery in veterinary profession as we cannot fold our arms and allow some scrupulous elements in the society to tarnish our image,” he warned.