The Ekiti State Government says it has allocated land to Dangote, Stallion, and other investors for rice production.
The Ekiti State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Mr. Olabode Adetoyi, made this known in Ado Ekiti at a press conference, saying the state government planned to produce over one million metrics tonnes of rice.
Speaking ahead of the Ekiti Rice Pyramid Project and commencement of the 2021 Wet Season Rice Cultivation, he said the government intends to meet both local demand and export with the rice project.
The commissioner said 23 new investors who showed interest had been given lands to cultivate rice, cocoa, and palm oil.
Adetoyi added that the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele, would inaugurate the rice pyramid project while Governor Kayode Fayemi would be the chief host.
The commissioner said, “Top-notch rice processing plants like Stallion, Dangote, and Jumlar rice have been allocated land in a premium location in Ekiti Knowledge Zone for quality rice production.
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“Land clearing and development of over 5,000 hectares of land for commercial agriculture is also on, out of which 1,000 is cleared for swampy rice along the river banks and valleys in the state. Over 40,000 hectares are to be made available as time goes on.”
Adetoyi added that the state government was working assiduously towards ensuring that youths ventured into farming by making it more attractive and lucrative, through various agricultural incentives
He assured farmers in the state that the government would not fail in providing adequate security for them to enable them go to their farms anytime without entertaining fears
The commissioner said that the Federal Government designed the Anchor Borrowers Programme under the CBN to provide easy access to credit for farmers and processors at a low interest rate, among others.
He added that the government of Japan had brought in some equipment such as harvesters to provide high-quality rice production in the state.
Adetoyi warned people in the habit of setting fire to bushes while hunting game to desist from such acts to avoid causing damage to peoples’ farms.
