Rice is one of the staple food consumed in Nigeria and other West African Countries. Rice farming is one of the Agricultural business that is profitable and lucrative. It is tedious, time-consuming, capital intensive and requires less expertise to handle. It is a good business to venture into due to high local and international demands of the product.
VARIETY OF RICE GROWN IN NIGERIA.
Fadama rice
Upland rice
Lowland rice
Steps On How To Start Rice Farming In Nigeria
1. Choose Quality and Healthy Rice Seeds
The first step to rice farming is to choose the right rice seed. Good quality and healthy seeds help to have a good productive harvest or yield. There are different types of seeds for different types of land. We have the lowland, upland, deep water and mangrove swampy lands etc. So choose the right seed for the right type of Land.
You can buy seeds from a company licensed and registered with the National Agricultural Seeds Council (NASC). They are responsible for regulating the seed industry in Nigeria
Selecting good quality seed will help to:
Improve yield by 5 – 20%
Improve germination by more than 80%
Increase resistance to disease and pest attacks
Produce consistent plant size
Decrease weed problems
2. Produce Rice Seedlings in a Nursery
Prepare a seedbed where seeds will be planted and raised as a nursery. Cover the soil with transparent sheets so that the land maintains it's temperature and avoid soil-borne diseases. After the nursery, make sure you transplant at the right time.
3. Choose The Right Land
The next step is to choose the right land for rice farming. A swampy or loamy soil that has organic matter is good. Rice requires land that has a high water retention capacity, selecting such land will save you the stress and capital for irrigation facility.
4. Prepare the Land
Land preparation is another aspect of rice farming that is very important. If your land is not tilled or prepared well, the possibility of having a bumper harvest might not be there. Preparation of land helps to put the land or soil in the best condition for the best yield.
Till the land very well to prepare for planting, If you are into mechanised rice farming, use your tractors and till the land very well. This helps the farmer to plant rice seeds at the right depth.
If a land has been used consistently for rice farming without break, seek for the advice of a soil testing Agency. Grow legumes after harvesting your rice and plough rice residues into the soil as organic manure or fertilizer.
5. Plant your rice at the right time
The time for planting of rice is important and there are different timing for different areas. The planting time for forest and savannah differs. Transplant of your nursery seedlings starts after 21 days. Uproot the seedlings, transfer to the tilled land and maintain a spacing of 20cm between rows.
For the forest areas, plant rice between March and April and plant rice between May and June for Savannah areas.
6. Apply fertilizer appropriately
There are different types of fertilizer to be applied to your rice farms at different stages. After tilling the soil before transplanting, apply 200kg/ha (4bags) of NPK 15:15:15 then after transplanting, apply 100kg/ha (2 bags) of Urea fertilizer broadcast at 30days.
For direct seedlings; Apply 100kg of 15-15-15 per hectare (2 bags/ha) as basal fertilizer, 2–3 weeks after the appearance to facilitate the integration of fertilizer into the soil.
Do not use Sulphate of Ammonia but use other sources of Nitrogen.
You can also seek the advice of a Pedologist on the right organic fertilizer to use, the quantity and the right time to use them to have a good result.
7. Manage Weeds, Pests and Soil Nutrients 
Weeds, pests attack rice plant and can reduce their yield. Improper irrigation, weather conditions, overuse of insecticides and high rates of Nitrogen Fertilizer application exposes rice plants to diseases.
You can manage weeds through weeding or by the use of herbicides. Pests like termites, insects, nematodes, rodents, birds etc can be managed by use of chemical control.The rice farm will be due for weed control after up to two months of transplanting. At this time, you can either weed or apply herbicides to kill the weeds.Ensure that the rice plant gets the required nutrients at the right time.
8. Harvest and thresh your Rice Crop
Depending on the specie or variety of rice planted, rice maturity can last up to four months. When the rice is matured, its colour changes from green to light brown. At this point, you need to harvest to avoid been eaten by pests, birds etc.
Harvesting involves cutting, stacking, handling, threshing, cleaning and hauling.Harvesting can be done manually using sickles to cut the matured rice grains while mechanical harvesting involves the use of reapers.
Threshing means separating the rice grain called Paddy from the rest of the crop on a mat or tarpaulin, should be done immediately or within a few days after harvest to avoid losses. Be careful while threshing to avoid de-husking of the paddy grains.
Ensure your Paddy is stored in a dry container or bag, rodent-free environment and airtight to avoid weevils and pests.Unprocessed rice grain is called Paddy rice.
Conclusion
Rice farming is simple and anyone can cultivate it. Rice is a high yield crop and takes between one and four months for planting and harvesting. Rice is a lucrative business anyone can try.
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