Nigeria

Lawyers Unite Against Corruption in Nigeria demands probe into the planned N70billion deal on rice production and processing between the governor Abdulfatah Ahmed-led administration of Kwara State and Vasolar Consortium Company of Spain.

Recently, the Federal Government of Nigeria signed a Joint Venture Agreement on Commercial Rice farming with Calvin Burgess, owner and principal promoter of the Oklahoma-based Dominion Farms Limited.

Olam Nigeria Limited, a Singapore based agric investor has commenced work on a $90 million rice farm investment projec covering 10,000 hectares of irrigated farmland in Ondorie area of Doma Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, speaking at the signing of an agreement between the Federal government, Tabara and Dominion Farms of the US, has challenged African leaders to find a lasting solution to food shortages in Africa

A few hours after it was announced with fanfare, the N70 billion agriculture deal between Nigeria's Kwara State government and a Spanish consortium is generating controversy.

Kwara State Governor Ahmed has signed and MOU with Vasolar Consortium of Spain for the cultivation, processing and packaging of rice, with the state providing 20,000 ha of land.

Its joint venture with Singapore's Wilmar will invest 100 billion naira in Nigeria over the next 5-7 years to develop oil palm plantations that will feed the refinery.

Global agricultural company Olam says the cultivation and processing of rice in Nigeria has the potential to be a lucrative industry.

The 6,000 hectare farm in Nasarawa, one of Nigeria's main rice growing belts, is expected to yield 36,000 tonnes of milled rice annually at its peak.

Osun State governor Rauf Aregbesola signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Syncop Corporation of Korean for a $400 million investment deal in food production and other areas of agriculture.

Millions of hectares of farmland are being sold or leased to foreigners to the detriment of farmers

State governments across the country are seeking the review of the Land Use Act as part of measures to facilitate easy access to land, especially to encourage foreign direct investment.