Agricultural experts in Nigeria urge development of new rice varieties to boost food security

NIGERIA – Agricultural experts in Nigeria are calling for the development of new rice varieties to enhance the country’s food security and increase its rice production.

Currently, Nigeria’s estimated national rice production stands at 7.7 million tonnes, but experts argue that this figure could rise significantly with the introduction of new, more suitable rice breeds for Nigeria’s diverse farming ecosystems.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Nigeria’s yield per hectare for rice is approximately two tonnes, which lags behind other African countries like Ethiopia (3.4 tonnes per hectare), South Africa (2.9 tonnes per hectare), and Kenya (4.2 tonnes per hectare).

Experts believe that Nigeria needs varieties with shorter lifespans and high resilience to challenges such as brown plant hoppers, flash floods, and various rice diseases.

Mr. Shakin Agbayewa, Deputy Chairman of the All-Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Lagos Chapter, noted that local rice production currently meets only 57% of the 6.5 million metric tonnes of rice consumed annually in Nigeria.

To tackle the current food shortage and boost local production, Agbayewa stressed the need for new varieties capable of achieving yields of up to 15 metric tonnes per hectare. Introducing such high-yielding strains on a national scale could significantly improve overall rice production and contribute to the country’s food security.

In recent efforts to address these challenges, the National Cereals Research Institute (NCRI) released two new rice varieties, TEGGOLD and 6444GOLD, in 2022.

These varieties offer yields of up to 10 tonnes per hectare, compared to the 5-6 tonnes per hectare of older varieties. The Federal Government also introduced FARO68 last year, known for its early maturity and high grain yield.

Additionally, seven biofortified zinc rice varieties were introduced this year in collaboration with HarvestPlus Nigeria and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Safety (FMAFS).

Professor Onuh Martin Onuh, Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture at Imo State University, emphasized the importance of continually developing new rice varieties to meet evolving challenges such as climate change and population growth.

 Onuh and his faculty are dedicated to educating farmers on optimal farming practices and improving the rice production supply chain to enhance yields while reducing costs.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has partnered with the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) to strengthen Nigeria’s rice seed systems.

Their project, launched in 2021, focuses on breeding rice varieties that are resistant to drought, salt, pests, and diseases, and tailored to local conditions. The initiative also aims to build a robust local rice seed breeding, production, and extension system to help farmers grow higher-quality rice and increase their income.

The CAAS project has achieved promising results, with new rice varieties cultivated in Nigeria during the 2022 dry season yielding 30% to 50% more than popular local varieties despite challenges such as COVID-19 and political instability.

A recent study by researchers from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Huazhong Agricultural University, Africa Rice Center, and Wageningen University and Research highlights the potential to boost rice production in Africa significantly.

The study reveals that Africa’s current average rice yield is low compared to global standards, presenting an opportunity to improve domestic production.

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