The Ministry of Agriculture in Ogun plans to collaborate with the Association of Small and Medium-scale Modular Rice Millers (ASMORIN) in the area of capacity-building, an official has said.
The Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr Bolu Owotomo, disclosed this on Friday during the inauguration and installation of the South-West Executive of ASMORIN in Abeokuta.
Owotomo, who was represented by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mr Samuel Adeogun, also said they would collaborate with the association in terms of linkage to financial institutions and support intervention.
He pointed out that this was being done because the ministry was aware that value chain was key to development and employment generation in agriculture.
“The Prince Dapo Abiodun-led administration is ready to support small and medium-scale enterprises to develop the economy of the state.
“For us as a government, we are ready to collaborate and link other critical stakeholders in the agricultural value chain to all the necessary areas that they will need our support,” the commissioner said.
He appealed to the Association to strengthen collaboration between the producers and processors to develop paddy market and ensure its availability for rice milling.
Also speaking, the National President, ASMORIN, Alhaji Abubakar Gwarmai, said inauguration of the new executive would enhance small-scale rice millers’ access to quality rice in the country,
Gwarmai, however, implored government and other partners to support the Association towards achieving its objectives as a major employer of labour in the rice value chain.
In his address, Chairman, Nigeria Association of Small Scale Industrialists, Mr Segun Dada, emphasized that small and medium-scale rice millers play a critical role in enhancing public access to quality rice.
He added that in spite of the numerous challenges their members were facing they were still trying their best to thrive in the business.
