* Targets 2.4 million bags of 50 kilogramme of rice per annum

* Set to create over 250,000 employment opportunities

Isola Moses | 绿帽献妻

A new multi-billion Naira 32-metric tonne (MT) per hour rice mill is expected to begin operations later this year in the Centre of Excellence, as the Lagos State Government (LASG) has assured the residents that the rice mill currently under construction in the Imota area of the state would be completed and delivered on or before the end of year 2020.

Report indicates that Hon. Gbolahan Lawal, Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture, disclosed this recently during a media briefing to commemorate the first anniversary of the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

Lawal said that the rice mills had attained 80 percent completion level, compared to 35 percent when the current administration was inaugurated May 2019.

It was further learnt that, when operational, the rice mill would ensure a steady supply of freshly processed rice of about 2.4 million bags of 50 kilogramme per annum to residents besides over 250,000 job opportunities in both the upstream and downstream sectors of the rice value chain in the state.

According to the Commissioner for Agriculture, effective efforts have been intensified in regard to backward integration along the rice value chain so as to ensure adequate supply of paddy to the mill for smooth operations.

Backward integration, Lawal stated, includes the identification of farmers鈥� groups in conjunction with other states to cultivate the required amount of paddy and the provision of inputs such as seeds, fertilizers and irrigation facilities, where applicable, to the farmers.

He said: 鈥淭his mill has attained 80 percent completion level compared to the 35 percent completion level it was in May 2019.

鈥淲hen operational, the mill will ensure a steady supply of freshly-processed rice of about 2.4 million bags of 50kilogramme per annum to residents in addition to over 250,000 jobs that would be created in both the upstream and downstream sectors of the rice value chain.

The Commissioner added that in meeting the paddy requirement of the upcoming mill, 鈥渨e have undertaken a backward integration in form of collaboration with other states like South-Western states, Kwara, Sokoto, Benue, Borno and Kebbi.

鈥淭his will be done leveraging on the anchor-borrower scheme of the Central Bank with the rice mill as the off taker of the products.鈥�

As regards the Agricultural Youth Empowerment Scheme (Agric-YES) of the state, he said: 鈥淭he Agriculture-based Youth Empowerment Scheme, Agric-YES is an initiative of the Lagos State Government, which will encourage youths and women who are interested in agriculture to embrace the sector.

鈥淥ne of its major objectives is to achieve a significant reduction in unemployment, create more jobs and wealth and significantly enhance food security in Lagos State by year 2023.

鈥淚t also seeks to promote the state鈥檚 target of producing at least 25% of the food consumed by residents of the state before the end of year 2025.