The Guninea-Bissau is seeking assistance from Nigeria in rice production to enable the foreign nation to meet its food sufficiency, food security and nutrition targets.
According to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, this was made public at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja when the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Sabo Nanono, received the Guinean Ambassador to Nigeria, Henrique Adriano Da Silva.
Da Silva, according to a statement from the FMARD, was at the ministry alongside the Country Representative of the Food and Agricultural Organisation, Suffyan Koroma.
It stated that the request was based on the successes recorded by Nigerian farmers in the production of rice.
It said the success in rice production in Nigeria could be tied to the provision of improved rice seedlings, farm inputs and the anchor borrowers’ facility by the Federal Government.
Nanono said the ministry would assist Guinea-Bissau in terms of personnel training and technical assistance in rice value chain.
He was, however, quick to note that establishing bilateral agreements between the two governments were absolutely necessary.
He promised to meet with the Guinean minister of agriculture to commence the initiative.
Da Silva had earlier stated that rice value chain was the core of Guinean agriculture, which saw Guinea exporting rice to other countries such as Angola, Mozambique and Portugal.
He further stated that 90 per cent of rice consumed in his country was imported, which was why the government was seeking assistance from Nigeria.
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