The Federal Government is planning to facilitate the production of 1.3 million tonnes of rice through dry season farming this year, an official has said.

The Director, Field Station, in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Daniel Kakwi, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Jos Wednesday.

Kakwi said that the feat would be achieved through the Flood Recovery, Food Production and Expanded Dry Season Farming Programmes.

He explained that the Flood Recovery Food Production Plan, with a target to produce 880,000 tonnes of rice, would be complemented with the Expanded Dry Season Food Production.

``The two programmes will produce a total of 1.3 million tonnes of rice.’’

According to him, the Federal government had procured more than 14,300 tonnes of rice seed currently being distributed to farmers across the country for dry season farming.

``We have mobilised from within and outside Nigeria more than 14,300 tonnes of rice seed. That is enough to plant 300,000 hectares of rice farmlands. If properly utilised, we shall produce 1.2 million tonnes of rice grain, plus an additional 420,000 tonnes to be produced in the northwestern part of the country.’’

He added that 500,000 tonnes of maize grains would also be produced under the dry season farming programme.

Besides, the flood recovery food production initiative, the ministry has commenced the distribution of 5,000 pumps to farmers for dry season farming.

``With the changing weather patterns, efforts are being made to develop policies that will protect farmers from the impact of climate change, especially droughts and floods. ``The Federal Ministry of Agriculture is also working out plans to scale up weather-index crop insurance schemes for farmers that will enable them to recover quickly from the effect of flood”, he said.