By Vincent Ujumadu

AWKA- RICE farmers in the Adani-Omor platform of the Agricultural Transformation Agenda Support Programme, ATASP Phase 1, under the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, covering Enugu and Anambra states, have bemoaned the challenges facing them in the course of growing and marketing the crop.

The rice farmers with officials of ATASP during a programme at Omor, Anambra State

The phase 1 of the platform, which is being implemented in conjunction with the African Development Bank, would end in 2018, although officials of ATASP say there is the likelihood that it would spill over beyond that date.

At a programme organized for them by the resource persons of ATASP at the rice-growing community of Omor in Ayamelum local government area of Anambra State, the farmers listed tractor hiring, land preparation, processing, marketing, parboiling, among others, as challenges facing them, which they requested that the federal government and the African Development Bank look into.

In their various contributions during the interaction, the farmers observed that some of the fabricating machines which were sold for N5000 in the past, now sell for N25000, regretting that because of the high prize, most of them had resorted to buying cheap ones that do not last.

They also said that some of the rice species supplied them were of poor quality resulting in low yield, just as poor processing occasioned by poor inputs drive buyers away from the area. Similarly, poor preservation during rainy season due to a lack of driers often led to great losses, they said.

One of the farmers, Mr. Afam Onuorah said that due to lack of machines, harvested rice gets damaged during the rainy season, adding that the problem would not have arisen if there were enough parboiling machines. Another farmer, Mrs. Philomena Machie complained about inadequate access to funding, arguing that exposing them to sources of funding would enable them plant more hectares of land. She also said that lack of off takers to buy their crops was a big problem in the area.

Addressing the farmers, the zonal gender and social development specialist of ATASP, Mr. Chinedu Ugwuta urged them to see such challenges as opportunities that should be exploited.

He told them: “As stakeholders, you should know that it takes hard work and time for businesses to mature. Innovation Platform, which this programme is all about, helps all of you in the rice value chain to make money as in any other business. But you should know that the business has to be properly nurtured. Those who expect that government will provide everything needed in the rice business, are making a mistake because government is not directly involved in the business.

“For instance, instead of waiting for government to provide all the tractors needed in rice farms, the farmers can invest in the procurement of such tractors and other inputs and by so doing, break the monopoly being enjoyed by those who own the tractors. If you want to be rich farmers, you must behave like every other businessman or woman who does everything possible to make profit genuinely.”

The outreach specialist of ATASP 1, Chief Emmanuel Udeh told South East Voice that the essence of the interaction was to enable the farmers identify their common problems and proffer solutions. He also explained that the mandate of the organization was to help the farmers realize the benefits of their hard work, thereby reducing poverty in the country, create jobs and increase wealth among the rural people.