We are strengthening the access of smallholder rice farmers to local markets.
Rice is the number one most consumed food in many countries of the world, including China, North Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, Nigeria - the list goes on and on. Rice farming in Nigeria is one integral crop farming section that has a strong backing from Bostrad for obvious reasons.
There is no doubt that Nigeria has a huge potential to grow rice in large commercial quantities, however, there are certain challenges that rice farmers are facing which in turn has gone a long way to impede rice production within the country.
One of the major challenges often encountered by rice growers in Nigeria is to find appropriate solutions for quality rice processing. As a result of this, there is a lack of patronage from within the local rice market, most notably, from the elite and middle class.
In response to some of these challenges, Bostrad have started making arrangements for the construction of a rice milling facility in Nigeria. Our integrated rice mill will feature a processing capacity of 70,000 tonnes. This should effectively act as a centre for improving productivity, and also as a vocational training hub for up to 7000 smallholders from nearby communities.
Through our rice mill, more farmers can process their crop, and gain access to market, improving local livelihoods.
Peter Okonkwo, who has doubled his rice yield and started to crop twice a year. ©IFAD/Gabriel Ogolo