Six years after former Governor Ibikunle Amosun inaugurated the MITROS rice project with grand promises to revolutionise and position Ogun State?s agricultural landscape as a farming powerhouse, the N4bn initiative lies in ruins. Investigations reveal that two abandoned rice mills, sitting on 1.2 million hectares of arable land, stand as silent monuments to the state?s unfulfilled potential.

In 2017, the former Governor of Ogun State, Ibikunle Amosun, stood before a crowd to inaugurate the MITROS rice project and spoke with fervour and hope about the initiative.

The atmosphere that day buzzed with grand promises, as he proclaimed that the initiative would align with the Federal Government?s agricultural growth plan and transform Ogun into a powerhouse of industrial development.

?With this move,? Amosun declared, ?as a nation, we must grow what we eat and consume what we produce.?

His words resonated with optimism as he envisioned Ogun reclaiming its historic role in cultivating the renowned Ofada rice, a symbol of the state?s agricultural heritage.

To him, it was more than a project; it was the cornerstone of Ogun?s future, promising economic prosperity and food security.

He further envisioned the state as an industrial hub and a model for others to emulate.

Fast forward to six years, and that vision seems to have crumbled.

The ambitious N4bn MITROS rice project once hailed as a game-changer, has become little more than a memory?a fading echo of unfulfilled promises.

Abandoned rice mills

Instead of productive rice mills feeding Ogun State and beyond, the legacy has become two abandoned, overgrown rice mills situated on over 1.2 million hectares of arable land, which constitutes nearly 74 per cent of the state?s total land area.

These silent structures now stand as stark monuments to missed opportunities and Ogun?s agricultural potential remains woefully untapped.

In 2016, it was reported that only about 350,000 hectares of Ogun State?s arable land were being cultivated.

Despite this, the state has been unable to produce enough rice to meet its local consumption needs.

Of the 20 local government areas in the state, eight?Abeokuta North, Egbado North, Ewekoro, Ifo, Ijebu-North, Ikenne, Obafemi Owode, and Ogun Waterside?are engaged in rice production.

These areas account for 40 per cent of the state?s rice farming activities.

However, the figures tell a sobering story. Research conducted by Evans Osabuohien, Romanus Osabohien, and Uchechukwu Okorie in 2018 revealed that rice output in the state hovers between 15,000 and 20,000 tonnes annually.

With only about 12,000 hectares dedicated to rice cultivation, the state?s contribution to national rice production is a mere 0.7 per cent, as further confirmed by our correspondent.

The Ofada/Veetee rice mill in Itori, established as part of Amosun?s ambitious vision, was also initially seen as a beacon of hope for the state?s rice industry.

With a capacity to produce 75,000 tonnes annually, it was expected to revolutionise rice production and potentially expand to 200,000 tonnes per year.

This mill was meant to position Ogun as a key player in Nigeria?s rice production sector.

Yet, the promise of this mill remains largely unfulfilled, stalled by setbacks and uncompleted plans.

As the dust settles on the MITROS rice project, questions linger: What went wrong? How did a state brimming with agricultural potential fall so short of its lofty promises?

What went wrong?

With N4bn invested in rice production, the installation of two operational MITROS rice mills in Abeokuta and Sawonjo in Yewa North, and additional mills in Egua and Ijebu North East, Ogun State?s rice project seemed destined for success.

These efforts, spearheaded by the state government in collaboration with stakeholders like the IFAD Value Chain Development Programme, were designed to establish a thriving rice industry.

It was expected that such significant investments and resources would lead to a surge in local rice production. But according to aggrieved local farmers, it faced numerous challenges.

In 2022, the state was ranked 10th among Nigeria?s rice-producing states, with a reported output of 200,000 metric tonnes per annum. However, the reality on the ground tells a different story.

High rates of rice smuggling and a scarcity of locally produced rice undermined the state?s agricultural goals, highlighting the gap between statistics and the lived experiences of farmers and consumers.

A farmer from Oja Odan, Bayo Adeyanju, voiced his frustration, arguing that with proper management of the state?s vast rice farmlands and improved processing methods, Ogun could easily supply rice to as many as 12 other states in Nigeria.

His sentiment reflects the growing discontent among many others in several farming communities, who continue to question why the state?s immense agricultural potential remains unrealised.

Grandiose inauguration

During the inauguration of the MITROS rice project, 110,000 bags of rice were proudly displayed, emphasising the scale of the initiative. The event was attended by the then Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, and the Governor of Kebbi State, Abubakar Bagudu, who chaired the Presidential Task Force on Rice and Wheat Production.

The occasion was further enlivened by performances from musicians, Nollywood stars, and other notable figures to amplify the excitement surrounding the launch.

MITROS rice, a blend between the Nerica 8 and Faro varieties, was marketed as being exclusively planted by local farmers, milled, and packaged in Ogun State.

The rice was set to retail between N1,000 and N11,500 per bag, positioning it as an affordable and locally sourced product.

During the inauguration, Amosun emphasised the state?s commitment to improving the rice value chain.

He highlighted the establishment of three processing mills across Ogun?one in Sawonjo (Ogun West), another in Asero (Abeokuta), and a third in Ijebu North East?designed to improve access for local farmers and provide high-quality products for consumers.

However, with the once-promising MITROS rice project now reduced to little more than a mirage, allegations of corruption and mismanagement have cast a long shadow over it.

Critics have described it as little more than a facade. Many Ogun State residents insist that no substantial rice farming ever occurred under the MITROS banner.

They accuse the government of simply purchasing Ofada rice from the market, repackaging it, and passing it off as MITROS rice.

Investment gone wrong

Amid these allegations, it was gathered that not only was rice planted, but the government also engaged rice farmers, assisted with land clearing, provided high-yielding seeds, and ensured that the produce was taken for milling and marketing.

In Egua alone, it was learnt that about 1,000 hectares were cultivated, and around 500 hectares of land were made available to the Lagos State Government for rice cultivation in 2012.

However, Lagos State later withdrew from the initiative following claims that the land had been ceded.

The then Commissioner for Agriculture, Ronke Sokefun, while explaining the rationale behind partnering Lagos State, said the land had long been acquired for agricultural purposes by past administrations in the state.

She stated, ?There was a strategic reason behind our allocating part of it to Lagos State for rice planting. We only gave them one-tenth of what they requested.

?The terms of the agreement are clear. The Lagos State Government agreed to pay rent to the Ogun State Government, and indigenes would be employed in the programme. Part of the agreement was that the land would only be used for rice cultivation, and the local community would be the first to be engaged on the farmland. This was a pilot scheme.?

A critic and the National Coordinator for the Committee for the Protection of People?s Mandate, based in Ikeja, Lagos, Nelson Ekunjumi, who was dissatisfied with the initiative, petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over the alleged mismanagement of the N4bn Anchor Borrowers Fund for rice farmers.

He submitted the petition to the EFCC?s office in Abuja on February 28, 2018, urging the anti-graft agency to ?probe what the money was used for, as ?there is no rice plantation anywhere in Ogun.??

The petitioner accused Amosun of ?setting up fake rice pyramids to create the illusion of massive output from the rice plantations. After the ceremony, nothing has been heard of MITROS rice, and no rice plantation established with the Anchor Borrowers Fund exists anywhere in Ogun State.?

It was gathered that the petition was never responded to, and the allegations were not investigated by the agency up until the time of this report.

One of the supervisors overseeing the rice farm in Egua, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, revealed that 1,500 hectares were cultivated in three phases, but that the project suffered from poor execution, as many contractors failed to meet deadlines.

?The project in Egua had three phases, with 1,500 hectares cultivated in total. Everything went smoothly until harvest time. The contractor for harvesting was given separate times for harvesting the rice, as they had been planted at different intervals. However, they all matured at the same time. Unfortunately, the contractor had only one automated harvester and had to order another from abroad. As a result, much of the yield was wasted during the process.

?Some farmers also faced drought during one of the seasons, and when the government attempted to compensate them, the amount offered fell short of covering their losses.

?We got some yield, but we also suffered losses. We had a good relationship with the farmers, but these issues affected the project,? the supervisor told Saturday PUNCH.

Unraveling the MITROS rice project

In order to verify most of the allegations and put a face to the project, this reporter visited Igbogila, Sawonjo, Eegua, Oja Odan, Iyana Meta, Abule Onile, and Abule Olopa, all located in the western part of Ogun State, where over 1,500 hectares of land were cultivated for the MITROS rice project.

The aim of the visits was also to meet with local rice farmers involved in the initiative.

The farmers lamented that the project was marred by corruption and poor execution.

In Sawonjo, one of the main rice-producing areas, the MITROS rice mill is located opposite a FADAMA agricultural machine leasing facility. This reporter observed that an abandoned agricultural corporation lay desolate and was filled with rusting farm machinery scattered around.

To get a closer look, this reporter enlisted the help of a commercial motorcyclist, known as Dare, as a guide.

The young man said that he hadn?t seen any activity in the region for years, adding that he used to work there as a labourer. Dare recalled that the mill?s operation barely lasted two years before it shut down.

The commercial cyclist said a vast land, stretching from Igbogila to Sawonjo, was taken over by the Ogun State government for agricultural purposes.

He noted that the land had once been home to the FADAMA project, a rice mill, and an agricultural settlement was being cultivated by individuals.

Later on, locals said that only one woman, known as ?Mama Agric,? could speak about the farm settlement, as the residents presently there were non-indigenes and temporary workers hired to tend the fields.

Unfortunately, Mama Agric was unavailable on two occasions when this reporter visited.

While the exterior of the MITROS rice mill in Sawonjo appeared intact, with equipment surrounding the building, the facility itself was locked and surrounded by shrubs and thickets.

A similar scene was found at the Asero rice mill, where security guards prevented entry.

This particular mill is located within a compound that also houses the farmers? market and the Ministry of Agriculture; Department of Agricultural Services office complex.

Meanwhile, despite hours of searching and asking for directions, the MITROS rice mill in the Ijebu area could not be found, and locals were unfamiliar with the project.

Olaoleye Hafsat, a worker involved in rice processing at Shangisa Eegua, explained that although the facility was operational at one time, the machinery was found to be substandard.

?The machines worked for a month when operations began, but they were not functioning properly. Before they eventually broke down, they worked intermittently, and we were able to produce about three to four tonnes of rice daily.

?When we told them the machines were faulty and they failed to respond, we had no choice but to leave. Over five years later, nothing has been done, and the facility is just wasting away. I worked with them in the processing area, so I know exactly what I?m talking about,? Hafsat said.

She also mentioned that several individuals had visited to inquire about the rice project, but that the reality was that it failed miserably.

?I would say that those contracted to buy the equipment messed things up originally,? she alleged.

Hafsat, who still produces rice on a small scale, urged the government to either repair or replace the machines or hand over the facility to local farmers and residents.

?Local rice farmers neglected?

In Eegua, the Chairman of the Ojo Lemi Agbe Rice Farmers Association, Bayo Adeyanju, accused the project coordinators of neglecting the expertise of local farmers.

The rice farmer, who claimed to have over 30 years of experience in rice cultivation, said, ?In farming, there is theory and there is practice. We know people who can stand before commissioners and speak from experience.

?Experts should be recognised for either their practical or theoretical knowledge. As uneducated as I am, if I invest N400,000 in my farm and someone else invests N1m if everything goes well by harvest time, I will make N5m, while they make N4m.

?Indigenous farmers should have a voice. Unfortunately, when they came, theory and practice were combined, and the opinions of local farmers were ignored.

?Take this year, for instance?farmers were advised not to plant rice early due to the weather. If they had listened, we wouldn?t be ready for harvest now, because, at this time, no tractor can work on the land due to flooding. The farmers know the best time to act.?

He added, ?When Amosun started, we received inputs, but now we don?t. Back then, there was the Value Chain Development Programme through the Ogun State Agricultural Development Programme. We, as farmers, were eager to work.

?Amosun gave us inputs and cleared the farmland. Land allocation was easy, but now it?s all about money?the highest bidder gets the land allocation. It?s no longer about competence. The land that was cleared by Amosun has now been given to private farmers.

?We, the real farmers, have no land to cultivate. We wrote letters but received no response. It wasn?t until the king intervened that we got 50 hectares to plant rice. Now, we?re due for harvest, but we can?t say the same for those who received land approval.?

He recalled that during the project?s earlier stages, the government would take the harvest and sometimes pay only half of the agreed amount.

Adeyanju revealed that some people came from Imota, Lagos State, to plant rice, but the local rice farmers were upset because the state government failed to allocate land to indigenous farmers.

?People from everywhere else are taking advantage of this land, which formerly belonged to our ancestors.

?They want to plant rice in Eegua and mill it in Lagos, without even acknowledging the town,? he lamented.

When listing the benefits he received from the government, Adeyanju said, ?I attended a seminar where I was given N10,000, insecticide, and 20kg of rice?though it came late. That?s the only benefit I?ve received as a rice farmer.

?Other farmers have also benefited, but the truth is, we were deceived during Amosun?s era. For example, if we produced 300kg of rice, we were only paid for 150kg. They promised to return, but nothing has happened to date. Other farmers who didn?t release their produce mocked us.

?If the Eegua land is properly cultivated, and local farmers are organised and provided with land?similar to how Amosun handled land allocation?we can feed 12 states. Empowering farmers is essential, and we need honest people in the process. We should also recognise the importance of grasping both the theory and the practical aspects of farming.?

Adeyanju, however, suggested, ?Any support the government provides for farmers should be timely and organised. For instance, coordination should begin in January, with the formation of groups for rice farmers, followed by orientation and registration.

?Farm inspections and land allocations should then take place. These processes would help identify those truly committed to farming. However, in reality, farmers sometimes have to wait until the end of April before receiving land allocations for rice that should have been planted in March.?

A female farmer, Titilayo Adisa, who grows rice and corn in Eegua, said she didn?t interact directly with the government but communicated with the leader of her farm cluster.

?If my leader collected money, I would have known,? she defended. ?There?s no way he could hide that. I trust him; we?ve worked together on small farms and are still working together to this day. The government took us for a ride, but this is our livelihood. We can?t back out.?

A farmer in Oja Odan, Kehinde Idowu, said, ?We want to produce what we eat; we truly do, but the disappointments of the past have nearly driven us out of business. We?ve had to settle for selling smuggled foreign rice instead of our local rice, just to recover from the losses.?

Saheed Makinde, another farmer said he was introduced to rice farming at the inception of the project but has little to share in terms of positive experiences.

He had recounted his involvement in Igbogila with the Eegua rice project before eventually relocating to Oja Odan.

The farmer said he participated in several training sessions organised by the International Fund for Agricultural Development before joining the rice farmers? cluster under the previous administration.

Today, Makinde and the chairman are the only two remaining members of what was once a vibrant rice farmers? association that had about 30 members during the active days of the MITROS rice project.

?Rice farming is no small venture, especially during harvest time. We experienced a drought that nearly devastated us, leaving us with very little yield?almost nothing. We are just beginning to recover.

?This year, we only managed to plant so we could use the yield as seeds for the next season. We realised that if we had to buy seeds next year, the cost would have tripled. So, our chairman decided to take responsibility for cultivating rice this year, to sell it as seeds next year. Rice cultivation is no easy task; it even requires spiritual support.

?As rewarding as rice farming can be, when it yields well in a given year, it can inspire you to dedicate your life to it. But if things go wrong, it can be utterly devastating. I farmed for about four years in Eegua, and we had another private sector initiative that came to Iyana Meta, providing us with many of the resources needed for farming.

?Unfortunately, a drought struck, and the yield was poor. These private individuals took all the produce and left without giving us anything. We understand that they too faced losses, but it pains us deeply that we gained nothing from the venture.

?We were each given one hectare to cultivate. There were many of us, but the drought posed a major challenge. IFAD did a lot to support us?they provided inputs and training, empowering us to manage our farms and enhancing the value chain. A single stand could have up to 10 bunches, but the drought affected them all.?

?But under the Amosun project, once the rice leaves the farm, that?s where the farmers? involvement ends. In three years of farming, we only received N10,000 once,? he lamented.

?From 30 to two?

The chairman of the Otitoloju rice farmers, Aseniyi Adeola, corroborated Makinde?s account.

He revealed that the group, which initially had nearly 30 members, dwindled to just two?Makinde and himself?due to repeated unfulfilled promises from the government.

Unlike Makinde, Adeola, now in his 60s, inherited rice farming from his parents and has weathered the highs and lows of the trade.

So, when the state government introduced the initiative, Adeola saw it as an opportunity to scale up his farming operations.

He took loans to expand his cultivation, trusting the promises tied to the government?s project.

However, he is still grappling with loan repayments to this day.

?We participated and were committed, but we never really benefitted. We were told to form groups, and they promised various training sessions. They also said fertilisers, pesticides, and farm inputs would be distributed within these groups. We trusted them and got to work. I took a one-million-naira loan to cultivate about 15 acres, but as we speak, I?m still struggling to pay it back. Despite the government?s disappointments, we didn?t give up. That?s why I still come to the farm, to cultivate seeds for the next season.

?The funds never reached the real farmers. Those in charge don?t understand what?s happening on our farmlands. What the government should have done was visit the farms, engage directly with individual farmers, and empower them. Before the drought, I was doing well and planting on my own?my house was always full of rice. The drought affected me deeply. When the government came, we thought it was a sign of relief, but instead, some people pocketed the money.

?We are experts in our own way; we?ve experienced the ups and downs of this business. We had farmland in Agin, just after Oja Odan, but the land has now eroded, and there?s no fertiliser. We used to cultivate it ourselves.

?If the government is ready to support us, we?re still in the farming business and can ensure there?s enough food,? Adeola said.

Not everyone, however, faced a complete loss. Makinde, Adeola, and Adebayo noted that some individuals acted strategically and did not turn in all their yields, instead kept back part of the produce to sell for personal gain.

?There were some who had good yields during Amosun?s era because they had fertile land and monitored their farms properly. Then there were those who were dishonest during the harvest and kept some of their yields. I wouldn?t blame them?look at us. We trusted the government and can?t account for any gain,? Makinde explained.

He added, ?I am a pastor, so I couldn?t have been involved in such things. At the end of one of the harvest years, Amosun called us to Abeokuta around December and gave us N10,000 each. It wasn?t even enough to cover our transport fare, let alone what we spent on cultivation. That?s when it all stopped.?

According to the Rice Growers Association of Nigeria, farming accounts for 85 per cent of the rice industry, with processing making up 10 per cent, and marketing and sales at 10 per cent.

This aligns with the farmers? argument that investments in rice farming should be directed primarily at the farmers themselves.

Farmers in Eegua are appealing for the rice facility to be handed over to the locals and for farmland to be allocated for cultivation.

Hafsat emphasised the need for the government to relinquish control of the facility rather than let it continue to waste away.

She suggested allowing the locals to bring their own machines for rice processing and collectively generate significant revenue from the facility.

?If the government still has money to invest in rice farming, they should talk to us directly?not the ?biro farmers? or politicians. We have nowhere else to go; they?ll always find us on our farms. They should even give us approval to use the land that belonged to our forefathers. We?re not building houses; we just want to farm. Rice isn?t a permanent crop?within four months, we?re done with a planting season,? Adeyanju proposed.

Adeola shared a similar sentiment, saying, ?What I feel the government should have done is meet with the farmers, do proper calculations, and come to the farms. It?s so unfortunate that when money is available, the real farmers are nowhere to be found. Even if it?s a loan, they could at least monitor our activities and offer advice when necessary. There used to be many in this association?almost 30 members?but now there are just two of us. I haven?t really benefited.?

Reflecting on their past success, Adeola said with regret, ?We were doing well in this rice venture before the government got involved. All we need is financial assistance to expand. We know the government meant well, but unfortunately, some people within their ranks squandered, and are still squandering, funds meant for farmers. Now we?re the ones left to suffer.?

Reactions

Several attempts to speak with the Commissioner for Agriculture in the state, Bolu Owotomo, were unsuccessful.

He neither answered multiple calls nor responded to the several messages sent to his phone.

This reporter also visited the commissioner?s office twice in Abeokuta but didn?t meet on both occasions.

Additionally, the former commissioner during Amosun?s administration, Adepeju Adebajo, did not respond to questions regarding the development.

However, when contacted, the former Adviser and General Manager in charge of Ogun State Agro Services, Kayode Adeniji, who oversaw the project, described it as iconic.

He added that the project was a huge success during the Amosun administration and that fact was acknowledged by all stakeholders, including the CBN.

Adeniji told our correspondent to ask the current administration what had become of the initiative.

?What has become of the initiative should be directed to the succeeding administration,? he declared. (The PUNCH)

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