The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, has flagged off WACOT Rice Limited’s 2024 dry season farming input distribution to outgrower farmers in Argungu, Kebbi State.
The out-grower program seeks to increase the quality of smallholder farmer livelihoods via access to required agri-input financing, capacity-building training on Yield Enhancement Techniques (YET), and Good Agronomic Practices (GAP).
The Minister, who also inspected WACOT Rice’s state-of-the-art 250,000-ton mill ahead of its inauguration later in the year, expressed delight with the initiative, noting that it would boost farmers’ productivity and income.
Kyari lauded WACOT Rice and its parent company, Tropical General Investments (TGI) Group, for empowering farmers across various value chains nationwide.
Chairman of WACOT Rice and Vice Chairman (Africa) of TGI Group, Farouk Gumel emphasized WACOT Rice’s unwavering commitment to Nigeria’s food security. He highlighted the inclusivity of the outgrower program, supporting farmers of all demographics with certified seeds, agrochemicals, and training sessions to enhance productivity and income.
Gumel expressed enthusiasm for hosting special guests at the project site, acknowledging that the general understanding of their initiatives might be limited. He stated, “Whenever we have special guests visit us here, we get very excited. The feedback we receive encourages us to intensify our efforts in production. The community here is peaceful, inclusive, and accepting, and what we’ve achieved is not just a result of hard work but also the love shown by the host community. This encouragement is what propelled us to undertake some of the initiatives we have implemented. If more investors in Nigeria extend their reach into the rural economy and replicate similar projects, our country could gain an unparalleled competitive advantage.”
Expressing gratitude to the Honorable Minister for the visit, Gumel also thanked the Federal Republic of Nigeria, particularly the President, for dedicating a Ministry to not just agriculture but also food security. He reassured the nation, saying, “We are here to assure him and the rest of Nigeria that we will play our part in bringing peace and prosperity to the nation through our agricultural endeavours.”
Commenting on the activity, one of the farmers Hajia Nafisa from Augie Local Government area also appreciated WACOT Rice for the initiative.
“Prior to this time, It has always been hard for us carry out our duties as female farmers, but with the intervention of WACOT Rice, we have been able to carry out our farming duties easily because we were given some inputs like fertilizer, water pumps, alongside trainings and guidance.” she said.
Source: