Nigeria is strengthening its collaboration with the Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice) as part of efforts to expand domestic rice production, reduce dependence on imports and improve food security across the continent.
The renewed commitment was highlighted during a visit by Nigeria’s Ambassador to Côte d’Ivoire, His Excellency Ezenwa Nwaobiala, to the main research station of AfricaRice in Mbé, Côte d’Ivoire.
Nwaobiala said the visit was aimed at reaffirming the shared commitment of the Federal Government and AfricaRice to accelerate the transformation of rice production systems and promote sustainable food security in Nigeria and the wider African region.
At a time when food sovereignty has become a major continental priority, the Ambassador said Nigeria must take decisive steps to strengthen its agricultural capacity, particularly as its population has risen to more than 220 million.
According to him, the country’s ability to achieve food security has implications beyond its borders, given Nigeria’s population, economic influence and position as one of Africa’s largest consumers and producers of agricultural commodities.
He noted that every effort must therefore be directed towards meeting the growing food needs of Nigerians, reducing dependence on rice imports and building resilience against the effects of climate change.
As part of this strategy, Nigeria is seeking to increase domestic paddy rice production through scientific innovations, improved agricultural practices and climate-smart technologies developed by AfricaRice.
Nwaobiala emphasised the strategic importance of expanding the partnership beyond research and into practical implementation across Nigeria’s rice-producing areas.
“To achieve true rice sovereignty for the benefit of all, our collaboration with AfricaRice must go much further and scale up. By extending this partnership directly to Nigeria’s federal states and fully integrating the Center’s scientific innovations, appropriate mechanization, and cutting-edge processing technologies, we are creating a model of sustainable self-sufficiency that will benefit not only Nigeria but the entire region,” he said.
The Ambassador’s remarks underscore the need for stronger links between agricultural research institutions and farmers, processors, state governments and other actors within the rice value chain. Such collaboration, he said, would help ensure that scientific innovations are translated into practical solutions capable of improving productivity and farmers’ livelihoods.
AfricaRice Pledges Stronger Support
The Director-General of AfricaRice, Dr. Baboucarr Manneh, described the visit as significant, saying it demonstrated Nigeria’s determination to achieve rice self-sufficiency and contribute to broader food security efforts across Africa.
“Achieving food self-sufficiency is a marathon. It is a challenge that is entirely achievable, but to succeed, you need determination and strong partners by your side. Nigeria has shown this determination, and AfricaRice is committed to being one of its partners. Our collaboration is deep-rooted, and we look forward to strengthening our commitment to bolstering local seed systems and deploying climate-resilient technologies,” he said.
Manneh’s comments reflect the growing emphasis on strengthening local seed systems and making improved rice varieties more accessible to farmers. This is particularly important as climate change continues to expose agricultural communities to flooding, drought and other unpredictable weather conditions.
The Nigeria-AfricaRice partnership has already produced notable results through the development and dissemination of improved rice varieties designed to respond to different production challenges.
One of the key areas of progress has been the large-scale dissemination of climate-resilient varieties, including flood-tolerant rice designed for farmers operating in low-lying and flood-prone areas.
These varieties are expected to help farmers minimise production losses during periods of excessive rainfall and flooding while maintaining more stable yields under difficult environmental conditions.
Focus on Nutrition and Farmer Productivity
Beyond increasing rice yields, the partnership is also addressing the nutritional needs of vulnerable populations. AfricaRice and Nigeria have been promoting zinc-biofortified rice varieties as part of efforts to provide a practical nutritional intervention, particularly for rural communities.
The collaboration also includes trials of high-yielding hybrid rice varieties, which could help farmers produce more rice from available farmland and contribute to closing the gap between domestic production and consumption.
Other innovations are aimed at reducing the labour and financial burden associated with rice farming. These include the development of varieties and production technologies that can reduce the labour intensity and cost of planting.
AfricaRice and its Nigerian partners are also promoting the Smart-Valleys approach, a sustainable method for managing low-lying rice-growing areas. The approach is designed to improve water management and make rice production more productive and environmentally sustainable.
With Nigeria continuing to face rising food demand and increasing climate-related agricultural challenges, the strengthened partnership with AfricaRice is expected to play an important role in supporting the country’s drive towards greater rice self-sufficiency.
The collaboration also highlights the broader importance of agricultural research, innovation and technology transfer in building resilient food systems capable of serving Africa’s rapidly growing population.