Flood Damage Major Rice Farm in Nasarawa
After floods in Nasarawa state affected one of the biggest rice farms in the country, run by Olam Nigeria, rice prices may go up during the next holiday season.
More than 4,000 hectares of farmland have been drowned as a result of the floods, according to Dr. Umar Ismaila, the farm’s chief agronomist, in a conversation with Channels Television.
The catastrophe would have an impact on Nigeria’s food security, according to Dr. Umar, even though the extent of the damage cannot yet be determined until the water recedes.
In recent weeks, there has been significant flooding in several areas of the nation.
State and local governments are to fault, according to the Nigeria Hydrological Services (NIHSA), for disobeying “sufficient and timely warnings” and weather advisories issued by several federal government organizations.
Urgent intervention
Olam later issued a statement estimating the value of the farm’s damage at up to $15 million.
The statement read, “Other Damages are facilities such dykes, canals, and drainage costing $8 million.”
Anil Nair, the farm’s vice president and business manager, reaffirmed that the losses are significant but that they can only be calculated after the water has subsided.
The announcement also stated that “OLAM rice farm in Rukubi, Doma local government area of Nassarawa state is set on a thirteen thousand, five hundred (13,500) hectares land and manages a crop area of four thousand, four hundred (450) hectares.”
“It is the biggest rice farm in Africa with the most advanced machinery.
“As part of the firm’s efforts to assure food availability and security in Nigeria, the company has increased its milling capacity from one hundred and twenty thousand (120) metric tonnes to two hundred and forty (240) metric tonnes annually.
“As part of its social responsibility (CSR) programs, Olam has constantly supported the host communities.
“Hundreds of residents from the six host towns where Olam Rice Farm is located in Nassarawa State’s Rukubi Doma local government area have benefited from these actions taken by the business as part of its CSR program.”
For the purpose of enhancing learning, the farm also offered educational facilities to students at the local primary and junior secondary schools.
It won’t be overstated to say that the government’s urgent interventions are required to mitigate the effects of the disaster, reduce hunger, and encourage development of adapting climate change technologies to enhance food security in light of the numerous supports both for Nigeria’s agriculture sector and humanitarian support to the host communities.
