With thousands of farmers facing losses, agriculture experts say the answer isn’t abandoning rice—but fixing what’s broken in the system.
Agriculture experts have urged Nigerian rice farmers to keep cultivating despite the recent spike in rice imports, warning that mass exit from production could hurt food security in the long run.
Their advice follows a troubling survey showing that over 3,500 rice farmers may quit, after suffering ₦93 billion in losses during the 2025 wet season, according to a report by the Presidential Food Systems Coordinating Unit.
Agric communication expert Dr Ismail Olawale said imports alone shouldn’t be blamed, stressing that local rice can still compete—if farmers aren’t weighed down by systemic issues like hoarding, porous borders and market distortions.
“If locally produced rice is competitive, consumers benefit and farmers stay in business,” he said, calling on government to tackle the factors putting local farmers at a disadvantage.
Agriculture analyst and farmer Omotunde Banjoko warned that relying on imports is risky and unsustainable. He urged government to focus on reducing the cost of farm inputs, noting that many farmers are now selling below production cost.
“If farmers keep quitting, shortages are inevitable,” he said. “Fix production costs, not just prices.”
The message: support farmers, cut input costs, fix the supply chain—and keep Nigerian rice on Nigerian tables.
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