– The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is
boosting rice production in Nigeria by funding agriculture
– This is expected to make Nigeria
self-sufficient in food production
– It denied the claim that Nigeria was
distributing genetically-modified rice as claimed by Radio Biafra
With the price of rice hitting the roof in
recent times, Nigeria can expect relief as the Bill and Melinda Gates
Foundation revealed that it was funding six agricultural commodities value
chains with emphasis on rice production.
The Punch reports that in a bid to ensure food
sufficient in Nigeria. Yam production was also included in the project.
Dr Audu Grema who is the senior programme
officer, agriculture in the West African office of the foundation revealed this
on Tuesday, September 13 in Abuja.
He said Nigeria will soon be self-sufficient in
rice production and listed some agricultural projects of the foundation to
include CARI-Project (rice) which was aimed at improving rice production
productivity, pest control, and variety enhancement.
Bill Gates is funding six agricultural
commodities value chains with emphasis on rice production.
Grema said this project was being implemented in
Cross River, Niger, Kebbi, Jigawa, Kano, Plateau Edo and Ebonyi states.
He explained that the Cassava Value Addition
Project was based in Abeokuta at the University of Agriculture.
“We also have a big yam project where we are
working with private farms around Abuja, Kaduna, Niger, Ibadan, Abeokuta, Akure
to enhance yam propagation technology through seeds.
“We have a huge portfolio of agricultural
investments in Nigeria. We are work on maize, rice, yam, cassava and
crop-livestock interface.
“We have four strategic cassava investments that
we think are critical that we are funding across Nigeria.
“In agriculture, we do not approve projects
except if it has a small holder connection.
“Anything we fund must have a connection with
enhancing the status of small scale farmers.”
He explained that the foundation was also
working in public health, integrated vaccine delivery, routine immunisation
revival across many states.
On the reports that the richest man in the world
was a major propagator of Genetically Modified Organisms, the programme officer
refuted the claim.
He said: “Gates has no interest to promote
agribusiness, so we are denying that we did not bring GMOs into Nigeria.
“Bill and Melinda Gates are not farmers; they
are not into agricultural services; so, to think they will promote GMOs just to
promote their businesses interest is very wrong.
“I will be in complete denial that we have
nothing to do with these big commercial agricultural farms that have been cited
in some of the articles in Nigeria.
“The foundation does not have anything to do
with GMOs even in Nigeria and abroad.
“No connection with the big industrial
agricultural concerns which people are alluding to.
“People making such assertions are morally
wrong.”
He applauded the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural
Development for the Green Alternative and said this will fight poverty and
boost food security.
The rumour that the federal government in
conjunction with Dangote was going to circulate genetically modified rice first
appeared in Radio Biafra and other Biafra related pages where they claimed that
the rice was aimed at killing Nigerians.
In a statement issued on September 3, Radfo
Biafra claimed that “Dangote and Nigerian government have flooded Nigerian
market with GMO rice, please note: eating GMO rice is as worst as eating rice
laced with rat poison popularly known as sniper in Nigeria, that is extremely
dangerous to human body.”
The government denied the rumour and explained
that the agreement with Dangote was actually signed during administration of
Goodluck Jonathan in 2014and in 2016, Dangote “cultivated over 8,000 hectares
in Hadejia, Jigawa state, creating over 10,000 direct and indirect jobs for
farmers who are the major beneficiaries of the scheme.”
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