Floods in Nasarawa state swamped Olam’s 4,500 hectares of rice fields, resulting in a $15 million crop loss. Anil Nair, Chief Executive Officer and Vice President of Olam Rice Farms revealed in a statement made on Sunday, that the losses are huge but can only be estimated once the water recedes and other damages include $8 million in infrastructures such as dykes, canals, and drainage. “Over $15 million worth of planted crops are under water as flood submerged 4500 hectares of Olam rice farmland in Nasarawa State. The company recently upgraded its milling capacity from one hundred and twenty thousand (120) metric tons to two hundred and forty (240) metric tonnes annually as part of the company’s efforts to ensure food availability and security in Nigeria. “Hundreds of people from the six host communities where Olam Rice farm is located in Rukubi Doma Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, have benefited from these gestures by the company as part of its corporate social responsibility program. The farm also provided instructional facilities for primary and junior secondary pupils in the communities to enhance learning. “With so much support for Nigeria’s agriculture sector and humanitarian assistance to host communities, it is not an exaggeration to say that the government’s immediate interventions are required to mitigate the effects of the disaster, reduce hunger, and encourage the development of climate change adaptation technologies to improve food security,” he said.
