President Muhammadu Buhari has
inaugurated Africa’s first automated rice seed and seedling factory in Cross
River.
The president did this on Tuesday
during a visit to the state.
According to Ben Ayade, governor
of the state, the factory will produce high yield, disease resistant and
vitaminized seedlings with a potential of generating N50 billion.
Speaking at the event on Tuesday,
Buhari commended the governor for keying into the federal government’s zero oil
agenda.
“This is a way of making our
country less dependent on oil while encouraging investments in other sectors of
the economy, particularly agriculture,” he said.
“I am happy that Governor Ayade
keyed into that policy and has today become one of the reference points in our
agricultural revolution efforts. Our gathering here today is a testament to the
fact that the policy is working.
Indeed, this factory speaks
loudly about the giant strides we are making in agriculture. What we expect is
that seedlings from this factory will improve rice production from three to
four tons per hectare to about nine tons to ensure sufficiency in the country
and doing away with import and save foreign exchange for Nigeria.
The factory is also targeted at
creating employment opportunities for the unemployed. I have no doubt that it
will be a source of income generation for Cross River state.
“I, therefore, enjoin relevant
federal government agencies like the ministry of agriculture and the Central
Bank of Nigeria through its Anchor Borrowers programme to partner with Cross
River in the area of supply of seedlings to our farmers.”
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