The Rice Revolution Buhari’s government is enjoying today started during Jonathan’s administration when I was minister for Agriculture. We were able to reach 6 million farmers in Nigeria with a new variety of rice called NERICA rice we supplied Jigawa, Kebbi, Niger, Kogi, including farmers all across the country. We also brought the wheat revolution to Nigeria. It is the same rice and wheat Buhari’s government is using today. I can tell you that the Jonathan administration boosted the production of rice in Nigeria.
So when I became President of the African Development Bank I spoke to my friend Jim Kim of the world bank and said let us help Africa feed itself and the idea of Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation came up “TAAT”. We are putting technology in the hands of African farmers and we will reach tens of millions of African farmers, it will be the largest effort in the history of Africa.
Dr. Akinwumi Adeshina
President African Development Bank
