Dr Abiola Olagunju is a rice processor, animal scientist and lecturer in Ibadan, Oyo State. She spoke on the sideline of farmers’ exhibition at the House of Chiefs, Secretariat, Ibadan, to celebrate the World Food Day on October 16.
You are a processor of local rice. How long have you been
processing locally?
I have been processing rice for the past five years.
Before now, how was the response of Nigerians to locally processed
rice?
The response has been very poor. In fact, I stood firm that I will propagate
and promote the use of local rice because of its nutrients. We should know
that it is not in the planting of rice that we had problem but in the
processing and packaging. The rice that comes from foreign countries has been
in storage for two to three years and for it to still remain with qualities,
they add chemicals to them for preservation. And one thing you have to know is
that when it gets to the elastic period of the rice, you will never see pests
on it; rather, you will see it getting powdery. Why should humans eat whatever
insects do not eat?
People did not respond to local rice because of stones and the
quality of processing. Are there better ways of doing it now in small-scale?
Yes, there are better ways. And it has started. The local rice we have around
here now is polished like the imported rice.
What has changed?
Stoning removal has changed. Chaff removal has changed. All the unwanted
materials in the rice have been removed totally.
How do you remove the stone now?
Before, after per-boiling, the next thing was to spread paddies on the floor to
dry. They just spread out there to dry. Of course, they weren’t producing in
large quantity. People tasted it and saw that it was nice, but people are
conscious about their health because of the stones. But now, we realise that
the stone and chaff were what had been hindering buyers from patronage Nigeria.
Nigeria has closed the borders, forcing people to buy locally
produced rice. Do you think farmers can produce enough rice in the country?
Let me tell you that all these so-called imported rice are not really imported.
They are our local but re-bagged. If the border is now closed, why won’t
the rice be available to us?
But figures from international organisations and Africa Rice
Centre indicate that Nigeria is not yet sufficient in rice production. So, how
are we to close the gaps?
The gap has been closed already. Farmers are now confident to go back to the
farm and produce because they have the market. Since they know they have the
market, they will go back to the farm. They will produce it more because they
have the market to sell. And it will encourage our GDP.
With the average price of the local rice, do you think it is
affordable to Nigerians?
I will not say it is totally affordable to all Nigerians because I have to look
at the high and the low. But as time goes, and when production increases, every
state would have a producer of local rice. Before now, I met a farmer that had
about eight hectares of land. He produced his rice but could not sell. But now
that he has heard that rice has hit the market, he will go back to the farm and
start cultivating and be a proud farmer of local rice.
Some people are advocating that each of the state in the
South-West and South-South should also develop irrigation facilities so that
beyond the rain-fed agriculture, they can also farm round the year. Do you
think this can work?
It can work. Whatever you set your mind at, you will do it. Nothing is not
achievable. I know that the government can do it in each state because when the
humongous response to local rice comes, they will look into that because it is
going to encourage the government IGR. Very soon, everyone will forget to buy
foreign rice if the government decision stands.
How would you advise Nigerians on adjusting to the taste of local
rice?
There is nothing to adjust. We should rather be happy that Nigerian rice is
here. When you eat it, you eat life. Because Nigerian rice has a great taste
and it is delicious. It is fresh and nutritious. You get all your required
nutrients from local rice.
What is the nutritional value of local rice?
You know that different varieties of rice have different nutritional values.
All I can tell you is the nutritional facts. Local rice is high in fibers, and
any food high in fiber will reduce the accumulation of facts. Secondly, the
rate of digestion of the rice that we eat would be slower because it will be
broken down slowly, and would slowly go down to the blood stream, thereby
making sure that at the end of the day, you have the required nutrients
distributed into the blood stream and giving you the required nutrients. It
reduces cholesterol, and diabetics can have local rice as their friend because
of its high fiber content.
