In its drive to attain food security, the Kwara State Government has said it is willing to support the state chapter of the Rice Farmers’ Association of Nigeria (RIFAN).

This was made known in a statement signed by the state’s Press Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources, Mallam Adamu Saidu.

According to the statement, the State Commissioner for Water Resources, Hon. Usman Yunusa Lade, expressed the state government’s readiness for collaboration with RIFAN at a meeting in his office during the association’s courtesy visit in Ilorin, recently.

According to him, the collaboration with members of the association and the state government has become necessary to attain food security, stressing that the collaboration would not only improve and increase food production especially rice, but also bring about employment opportunities, reduce importation, and increase revenue generation for the state.

Earlier, the Board of Trustee Chairman, Dr. Engr. Olaitan Balogun said that the visit was to seek the state government’s support to help their members grow rice in the state.

He added: “Ministries of Water Resources and Agriculture are critical for the growth of farm produce especially rice as water is essential for its growth.”

Similarly, Elder James G. Kolo, according to her statement stated that the purpose of the visit was to seek synergy with the state government to help empower their members to increase rice production in the state.

Elder Kolo therefore appealed to the state government to help empower their members financially to increase food production especially rice to reduce dependence on foreign importation to also help increase revenue generation.