Anambra Govt Partners Chinese Experts to Boost Rice Production, Empower Farmers in Ayamelum

By Praise Chinecherem

Anambra State Government says it is currently fostering sectoral partnership with Chinese Specialists to boost rice production and empower farmers in Ayamelum Local Government food producing belt.

Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Forster Ihejiofor, made this known while fielding questions from newsmen on achievements of his Ministry.

Highlighting the importance of the partnership initiative, he said it aimed to lay the groundwork to improve rice production capacity and for a future where farmers would be empowered with inputs and knowledge.

He said, “We are partnering with agric specialists from China who right now are in the state working details to go into massive highly intensive rice production in the state.

“The Chinese will introduce a new technology that will increase productivity from an average of five tonnes per hectare to 10 tonnes per hectare

“The arrangement we are having with them is such that our farmers will be trained and empowered with the variety of rice seeds that will generate this kind of result.

“So, very soon Anambra Rice will become the rice across the food systems of Nigeria and West Africa.

“They have indicated interest and the assessment is going on.They are to revamp the Mega Rice Processing Mill established in the 80’s by the federal government in Umumbo which has been dilapidated, vandalized and unoperational for several years.”

Describing the partnership as strategic, the Commissioner explained that the partnership would not address the availability of paddy, but keep the facility functional.

He added that the specialists had assessed the Rice Processing Mill and came up with a proposal to replace the existing machine with production capacity of 30 tonnes per day .

“They are going to replace it with a 100 tonnes per day mill. As for the supply of Paddy, they have also indicated interest to run the Irrigation Pumping Station in such a way there will be no down time.

“When that is run in that manner, what it means is that they will enter into an Outgrower arrangement with the farmers across Umumbo, Omor and the catchment areas of that irrigation facility and empower them with both the knowledge and the variety of rice seed.

“Secondly, i have taken them to visit the abandoned former World Bank Rice Production settlement in Omasi.

“Since the creation of Anambra State, no government has looked at it. They have also agreed to reactivate and create infrastructure to have access to the place”

Ihejiofor, further explained that Governor Soludo would soon fulfil his promise to purchase and install a 5000KVA transformer at the irrigation facility, Ifite Ogwari, to enable it swing into full action.

“The Irrigation Pumping Station has the capacity to irrigate 10,000 hectares of rice farm” he stated.

He enumerated other government intervention programs in the agricultural sector to include impactful operation farm to feed campaign, distribution of over 20,000 liquid organic fertilizers.

“Governments has also distributed inputs through VCDP to about 14,000 beneficiaries as well as training of 20 youths on fabrication of agricultural equipment,” he added.