Nigeria launches comprehensive training for rice millers

NIGERIA – A new Rice Mill Operations Training initiative has been launched in Nigeria, aimed at equipping rice millers with advanced skills in food safety, rice fortification, and operational efficiency.

This program is a collaborative effort between the World Food Programme (WFP), Partners in Food Solutions (PFS), Bühler Group, dsm-firmenich, and TechnoServe, reflecting a strategic push to bolster local food systems.

The initiative seeks to address Nigeria’s reliance on rice imports by improving the capacity of rice millers, fostering a shift toward locally grown and processed rice.

Mandla Nkomo, CEO of Partners in Food Solutions, highlighted the critical timing of the initiative, as local businesses are now ready to grow and consumer demand for high-quality local rice is increasing.

 “Rice millers will gain essential knowledge about food safety and fortification, ensuring a nutritious food supply from local growers rather than imports,” he said.

This initiative aims to improve rice quality and ensure that local rice processing aligns with global standards for food safety and fortification. The program includes practical, hands-on training to empower millers to upgrade their equipment and scale up production to meet growing market demands.

This training will be essential as the country continues to focus on reducing dependency on rice imports and strengthening its local rice value chain.

Such efforts build on the broader mission of organizations like WFP and dsm-firmenich, which have worked to combat malnutrition and promote the use of fortified rice in vulnerable regions.

In addition, as a leader in food technology, Bühler Group will offer cutting-edge milling technology and processing solutions. Their involvement will allow rice millers to modernize their equipment, optimize production, and reduce post-harvest losses, ensuring higher yields and better product quality.

The program comes after Bühler, in collaboration with Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc, recently inaugurated a grains application centre in Kano, Nigeria, to revolutionize the processing of local and ancient grains. 

According to Buhler, the center’s primary goal is to advance the industrial processing of local grains, which will contribute to affordable nutrition.

By introducing these practices in Nigeria, the initiative will help improve food security while contributing to the growth of local agribusiness.

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