The Government of Japan has committed about ¥587 million, equivalent to $3.5 million, to strengthen rice seed production and support food security and agricultural development in Nigeria.
Japanese Ambassador to Nigeria, Hideo Suzuki, disclosed this during the handover ceremony of the Project for the Enhancement of Rice Seeds Production System at the National Cereals Research Institute (NCRI), Badeggi, in Niger State.
Suzuki said the intervention would strengthen NCRI’s capacity to produce high-quality breeder and foundation seeds, improve access to certified rice seeds and ultimately increase productivity and yields among Nigerian farmers.
He noted that the project supports Nigeria’s Second National Rice Development Strategy (2020–2030), which seeks to significantly increase domestic rice production and reduce reliance on imports.
According to him, reliable access to quality planting materials remains essential to achieving agricultural transformation, as improved farming technologies and agronomic practices can only deliver optimal results when farmers have access to quality seeds.
Under the project, modern agricultural equipment will be provided to NCRI headquarters and its outstations in Niger and Oyo states. The equipment includes 20 medium-sized tractors, three rice transplanters, four small combine harvesters and two excavators for seed production activities.
Other equipment includes germination testers, automatic weather observation systems and small flat drying machines to improve seed processing and post-harvest operations.
The ambassador explained that the intervention goes beyond machinery supply, as it also includes technical assistance, equipment operation and maintenance training and institutional capacity development.
He urged NCRI to ensure proper maintenance and effective utilisation of the equipment to guarantee long-term benefits for farmers.
Speaking at the ceremony, Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Aliyu Sabi-Abdullahi, commended Japan and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for their continued support for Nigeria’s agricultural sector.
He described the intervention as timely, saying it would strengthen rice seed production, mechanisation and other critical components of the rice value chain.
Abdullahi said food security should be regarded not only as an agricultural issue but also as a matter of national security and economic sovereignty.
He added that the project aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly its objectives of improving food security, reducing import dependence, creating jobs and empowering farmers.
JICA Nigeria Chief Representative, Keiji Ishigame, said Nigeria remains an important participant in the Coalition for African Rice Development (CARD), launched in 2008 to support African countries in increasing rice production and reducing dependence on imports.
He said JICA’s support in Nigeria has expanded beyond rice production to include post-harvest management, marketing, extension services, institutional strengthening and policy development.
Ishigame added that JICA was also implementing a capacity-development project aimed at strengthening institutions involved in rice seed multiplication, quality control and seed management.
Meanwhile, Niger State Governor, Umaru Bago, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to initiatives aimed at improving rice seed production and strengthening food security.
Earlier, NCRI Executive Director, Mohammed Ndagi-Ishaq, said the intervention had significantly enhanced the institute’s capacity to produce rice seeds, adding that the new machinery would improve the efficiency, quality and scale of production.
He noted that NCRI had developed and released high-yielding and climate-resilient crop varieties, including zinc-biofortified rice varieties.
The project is expected to strengthen Nigeria’s rice seed system, improve farmers access to quality planting materials and contribute to increased domestic rice production and national food security.
