Fadama III AF disburses N20.55m to Ebonyi to improve rice production


 Dr Cletus Nwakpu, the Ebonyi Coordinator, Fadama III Additional Financing (AF), on Monday said the project had disbursed N20.55 million to the state to improve rice production.
Nwakpu said this in Abakaliki in an interview with the News
Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
He said that the money released was the project`s grant contribution for the approved 20 business plans to encourage farmers to cultivate more farmlands to boost rice production in the state.
According to him, the 20 rice production groups contribute to the cultivation of 300 hectares of rice farms.
``They strictly adhered to recommended rice technologies of site selection, seed selection, nursery established, fertiliser application.
``The water management, pest control among others to harvesting and harvested 1,830 metric tonnes of rice achieving an average yield of 6.11 tonnes per hectare.
``The achievement made our groups to buy nine rice threshing machines which locally fabricated nine horse power machines, `` he said.
Nwakpu added that each machine is capable of threshing about three hectares of rice farms, which ordinarily require the labour of 48 to 60 women per day.
He commended the Ukwachi Nzashi Ikwo FADAMA User Group for the emergence of the use of rice threshing machine by Ebonyi rice farmers.
``The group did not share the proceeds from their rice farm but saved all their cash returns in their Fadama Users Equity Fund (FUEF) account.
``With the fund, they contacted local fabricators of rice threshing machine in Omor, Anambra, who fabricated the machines for them.
``They have been using their machines to thresh for members and non-members` farms to generate money, `` he said.
Nwakpu added that the groups remained one of the most viable and effective farmers' groups in the state.
The state Fadama coordinator said the group was partnering with Food and Agriculture Organisation rice value chain to encourage rice cultivation.
He praised the efforts of Gov. David Umahi of Ebonyi in transforming rice production in the state.
He called on the Task Team Leader, Dr Adetunji Oredipe, National Project Coordinator, Mr Tayo Adewumi, and all FADAMA team to migrate Ebonyi to core rice producing state.
Nwakpu said that the state has the potential and ability to perform the core state responsibility because of infrastructure in Ebonyi.
``We have over 300,000 hectares of rice land out of which only about 105,000 is currently put into rice production.
``We still have over 250,000 hectares of irrigable rice land along the Cross River basin bordering the state from Cross River.
``None of this land is currently put into rice cultivation to harness the rice potential of Ebonyi. ``
NAN reports that Ebonyi is one of the production clusters of the project and also involved in the rice value chain. 

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