Ogun earns N1 billion revenue from rice production in three months – Abiodun

The Ogun State Government has announced a revenue of N1 billion from its rice revolution project over three months.

The State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, disclosed this on Monday, 19 August, when he flagged off the harvesting of the 200-hectare Magboro rice farm in Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area of the state.

With a yield of seven metric tonnes per hectare on the 200-hectare pilot project, the state produced approximately 1,400 metric tonnes of rice, equivalent to 20,000 bags of milled rice.

The feat, according to the governor, brings in an estimated revenue of N1 billion every three months to the state, directly benefiting the out-growers, including many youths and women who are new to farming.

Following the success of the first harvesting, the state governor said the project will now scale up to 2,000 hectares, with plans to expand to 5,000 hectares.

The scale-up is also projected to yield between N10 billion to N25 billion in revenue per quarter.

The farm, which is a brainchild of the Ogun State Economic Transformation Project, is supported by the World Bank.

According to the governor, it is aimed at driving economic growth and development in the state.

Speaking at the occasion, Mr Abiodun said that with the flag-off, Ogun State is not only joining states like Lagos, Kebbi, and Bayelsa in producing locally grown rice for the consumption of the people, but also fostering economic development, creating jobs, and improving livelihoods within the communities.

“This is a 200-hectare rice farm. The farmers are mainly women and youths from all parts of the country, not just from Ogun State alone.

“Each farmer was allocated one hectare of farmland; this means that we have 200 farmers in this cluster. This project started in April this year. They began planting in May, and today we are already harvesting, making it a three-month cycle. It means that we can do this three times a year,” he said.

“20,000 bags of milled rice per cycle should be estimated to cost about N1 billion. So, these 200 farmers, made up of women and youths across the country, who farm here in just three months, have a revenue of N1 billion. If they do this three times this year, they will earn N3 billion. We have no business being hungry in Nigeria.

“In this place, I have 12,500 hectares of land, and all we have farmed is 200 hectares that yielded N1 billion for 200 farmers. From here, I can feed the rest of the country. We will scale up this project immediately from 200 to 2,000 hectares.

“We can generate N30 billion in revenue. We can take significant steps towards realising that vision of making Ogun State the food basket of this country,” Mr Abiodun added.

The governor stressed that the project was in line with the Bola Tinubu administration’s resolve to eradicate poverty and hunger by providing affordable food to Nigerians.

He noted that aside from increasing rice production, the project would also address animal husbandry.

Mr Abiodun emphasised that the state was blessed with adequate manpower and natural resources, stating that agriculture remained an important agenda of his administration as it provides employment and raw materials for the numerous industries in the state.

He said the OGSTEP Agricultural Sector Intervention will provide critical support, including advanced agricultural techniques, access to quality seeds, modern irrigation systems, and technical training for farmers, adding that the approach is offered to beneficiaries at a 65 per cent discount on the cost for each mechanisation operation.

While praising the people, especially members of the communities, for supporting the project, the governor promised that the farm would be provided with solar pumps to power the boreholes, as well as modern drones for effective pest control.

Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security Bolu Owotomo also reiterated that the project was in tandem with the agriculture policy of the Dapo Abiodun-led administration, which is to ensure food sufficiency for the people.

The Project Coordinator, Mosun Owo-Odunsi, said the project, which aims to produce high-quality rice, would positively impact the lives of citizens in all sectors. She expressed gratitude to the state governor for providing the necessary support.