President Muhammadu Buhari says Nigeria must achieve rice sufficiency in the shortest time possible and stop importation of staple foods.
He is hopeful that reliance on farm produce from Nigeria would save the country billions of Naira spent annually on importation and achieve food sufficiency.
The President made the statement at the Bola Tinubu Colloquium held on Tuesday after projections by the Governor of Kebbi State, Mr Abubakar Bagudu, that Nigeria could achieve rice sufficiency in one year.
If sufficient funding would be provided to rice farmers in the 33 producing States and supported fully by state governments, rice sufficiency could be achieved, he stated.
President Buhari said Nigeria must become the bread basket of West Africa but would first tackle the injustice of hunger faced by millions of Nigerians especially in the rural areas.