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There is a wide profit margin, increased production and reduction in labour in rice farming in Cross River State, Nigerian Tribune reports.
Farmers say the Agro Processing Productivity Enhancement And Livelihoods Support (APPEALS) project from the World Bank and the Federal Government, is a major facilitator of the successes recorded in the rice value chain of recent.
APPEALS is a 60 years project developed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, in collaboration with the World Bank to support the policy thrust on food security, export promotion and livelihood improvement, implemented in Cross River, Enugu, Kaduna, Kano, Kogi and Lagos states. So far, about 9,000 beneficiaries, including women and youths, have received the interventions in rice, cocoa and poultry value chains.
Nigerian Tribune learnt from the rice clusters at Idomi in Yakurr Local Government Area and Ekureku in Abi Local Government Area of Cross River State, as farmers are into processing and marketing their own produce courtesy of APPEALS.
Some of the farmers disclosed that with the intervention the production has increased and yielded better grains, reduction in wastages, improved time management and increased income, and these, according to them, have translated into better livelihood for farmers and their families.
The chairman of the Idomi cluster rice value chain, Mr. Eni Ugobo, said: “Rice production before APPEALS intervention was cumbersome and output was low; because we (farmers) engaged manual labourers, which were costly and at times they disappear after collecting advance payment. It was a big problem.
“When APPEALS project came, we started using the machines we got and the work is now done faster. What we used to accomplish in three days, we got done in just a day. Our rice is better packaged because we are able to de-stone. As I speak to you, we have patronage from all over the state and outside.
“There is no more waste. Before now, the way we parboiled rice resulted in huge wastage. However, with the intervention, the technique used eliminates waste and the paddy waste that is the bran, which were thrown away prior to APPEALS intervention are now being used as firewood for cooking,” Ugbobo added.
The cluster chairman of Ekureku-Anon One, cluster in Abi Local Government Area, Mr. Samuel Elemi, attested to the benefit accrued to the farmers, “who despite the recent flood, are engaged and delighted to remain in business at the mill.”
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Elemi, who noted that the cluster established the Voda Rice Processing Factory, recalled that “business was difficult; we could not break even.
“We used to harvest 37 bags per hectare; now we harvest nearly 50 bags. Overall, the interest we share is much better now. It was not like before when we were collecting loans to repay at high interest rates. But, I can tell you confidently that we are upgrading.”
Similarly, the rice value chain facilitator in the Cross River APPEALS’ project, Mrs. Gloria Ogban, affirmed that the essence of the intervention was to enhance the productivity of small and medium scale farmers and improve value addition.
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