NANTS inaugurates rice processing centre in Niger

As part of efforts to improve production and ensure food security in Niger state in particular, and the country in general, the National Association of Nigerian Traders (NANTS) in conjunction with Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), has commissioned rice processing facility in Gbamanda, Gidan Mangoro community in Bosso Local Government Area of Niger.

The project was constructed under the aegis of AGRA/Niger state consortium where various corporative groups would easily process their products.

President of NANTS, Dr. Ken Ukaoha, said the facility and distribution of Point of Sale (POS) to cooperatives will add value to food security and improve productivity.

He added that the facility will provide a means of livelihood as more people will go into farming since the processing facility has been brought closer to them.

“Rice and maize are major commodity produce in large quality in the community, farmers will not have to travel long distance again to process their corps,” he said.

He commended Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago for investing massively in Agriculture and advised Women and Youths from the community to form Corporation groups to benefit more from the Governor’s Agriculture revolution.

Representative of AGRA, Mr. Godswill Agwuyi,  said AGRA is working in 16 Local Governments in Rice, Maize, and Soyabean value chain.

He said the focus is to support smallholder farmers to transform from small to large farmers, adding that the Centre will help farmers process their products without traveling to another location.

In his speech, Governor Umaru Bago of Niger, commended AGRA for its intervention as it had become a household name in the state.

Bago who was represented by Dr. Matthew Ahmed, Permanent Secretary of Niger Ministry for Agriculture, advised various corporative groups to take advantage of the centre to improve their production.

“Aside processing crops, the centre will also create job opportunity and women groups are the major beneficiaries, you use the facility to create wealth,” he said.

While appreciating the donor for the facility, Village Head of Gidan Mangoro, Alhaji Sani Adamu, promised that the facility would be used to improve production and adequately maintained.

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