Despite spending over 190 billion naira to boost rice production, farmers in northeast Nigeria cannot produce enough rice in the region.

According to the rice farmers, corruption in the distribution system and insecurity are the major setback when it comes to rice production in the northeast region.

Ali Gingibe a rice farmer, while speaking to our reporter Hadiza Dawud in Maiduguri today said, he has never benefited from any of the government’s programmes aimed at improving rice production in the country. “From time to time people come to me and collect my details in the name of providing help, but I have never benefited from any” Gingibe added.

Lawan Audu another rice farmer in Maiduguri said, “I use to hear on radio that people (rice farmers) are benefiting from different initiatives, but I have never seen that in reality.”

“It is obvious, there is corruption in the system. I call on government to set a panel to investigate the system, otherwise there won’t be any improvement in the sector” added, Lawan.

Responding the Chairman of the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN), Borno State Chapter Alhaji Bulama Maina Mohammed said, the federal government is determined at boosting rice production in the country through Anchor Borrowers Programme. He added that over three hundred thousand rice farmers benefited from the programme in the state, noting that there is nothing like corruption in the distribution system, but the only problem is farmers don’t follow due process to register for the scheme.

“You cannot benefit as an individual, for a farmer to benefit he/she must form a group of at least fifteen farmers, register as a cooperative for them to be considered, which many of them fail to understand,” he added.

The Chairman who attributed the problem of low rice production in the northeast region to insecurity, also called on the security operatives to restore peace in the region so that farmers can access their farms without any fear.