Friday, March 29, 2024

Nigeria is Now the Biggest Producer of Rice in Africa

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By David O Royal

The Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) has commended Nigeria as the number one rice producer in Africa and debunks claims by the World Food Programme (WFP) that Nigeria risks sliding into a hunger crisis.

WFP had lumped Nigeria with Zimbabwe, South Sudan, Haiti, Central Sahel (Mali, Burkina Western Niger) and Afghanistan among countries it said faced food crisis but the pro-Buhari group is insisting that the claim is presumptuous.

In a statement signed by its Chairman Niyi Akinsiju and Secretary Cassidy Madueke, BMO described the UN agency’s position as hollow and not a true reflection of the situation in the country.

“We acknowledge WFP’s humanitarian assistance in a part of North-East Nigeria, but we are shocked that it listed the country among ‘potential flashpoints to look out for in the New Year’.

“There is no doubt that the UN agency and its partners require greater investment in view of the scope of work they need to handle across the world in 2020, but we won’t accept a situation where Nigeria is painted in a bad light.

“Yes, there is a crisis in a part of the North East which was referenced in the report titled: ‘WFP Global Hotspots 2020: Potential flashpoints to look out for in New Year’,

” there has not been a recent upsurge in violence in the region of the magnitude reflected in the report.”

“Besides, the crisis has been largely restricted to a part of Borno, which is just one out of 36 states making up the country and we do not see how that could be interpreted to mean that Nigeria may face a hunger crisis with the type of bumper harvests it has recorded in recent years. Read more…

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