Business mogul inaugurates 'Rice Out-growers Scheme' in Jigawa

yinka ogunlami

February 15, 2016 3:43 PM

During the inauguration of the 8,000 hectare, Rice Out-growers Scheme in Jigawa state, Aliko Dangote, President of the Dangote Group and Africa’s richest man, distributed rice seedlings to farmers.

Alhaji Aliko Dangote

During the inauguration of the 8,000 hectare, Rice Out-growers Scheme in Jigawa state,

The Rice Out-growers Scheme is in partnership between the Federal Government, Jigawa state government and Dangote Group to provide jobs and also decrease the levels pf Nigeria’s food imports.

The above mentioned scheme which is being executed by Dangote Rice Limited will be initiated in 6 other Nigerian states and will provide 10,000 new direct and indirect jobs in Nigeria.

Read: Dangote cement begins work on Okpella, Itori cement plants

While addressing the farmers, Dangote emphasized that in the past 2 years the government has spent an average of over N1 trillion on agricultural commodities and food imports with items such as sugar, wheat, rice and fish accounting for 93 per cent of the amount.

Read: Billionaire's foundation partners Bill Gates to donate $100 million to fight undernutrition

The scheme will train farmers and issue them with other necessary inputs with guaranteed buy-back at agreed prices.

Commenting on the scheme, Alhaji Badaru Abubakar, Jigawa State governor thank Dangote Rice Limited for choosing the state and also pledged his support to the project.

yinka ogunlami