6th June, 2018
Synergos, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), is set to establish a Rice Incubation Centre in Benue, to enable rice farmers to add value to their production, the Field Assistant, Mr Raymond Jooli, has said.
Jooli said this at a meeting of the Action Vision Group (AVG) and Action Innovation Group (AIG) organised by Synergos on Wednesday in Makurdi.
Synergos was established by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Jooli said the meeting was aimed at finding solutions to the perceived food crisis resulting from the displacement of some farmers in Benue by herdsmen.
“The centre will also assist processors to package their produce in 1kg, 5kg up to 50kg bags to be sold within and outside the state.
“The aim is to enable rice farmers add value to the produce, thereby making more money for themselves.
“They can even export the produce because it will meet international standard with the approval of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).”
Jooli also encouraged farmers to have home gardens in addition to their large-scale farms, because it would go a long way to check food insecurity.
Meanwhile, Mr Fabian Asemagema, the Assistant Rural Institution Gender and Youth Mainstreaming Officer (ARIGYMO) of International Food for Agricultural Development (IFAD), urged the Benue Government to work out modalities to secure farmlands for displaced persons as a way to avert food shortage.
Asemagema said that the 2018 farming season was at hand and that many farmers in Benue were still living in Internally Displaced Persons Camps (IDPs) because their areas were still occupied by insurgents.
“As a temporary measure to tackle the imminent food shortage, the state government should, as a matter of urgency, provide lands to the IDPs so that they too could cultivate crops.
“This is to prevent acute food shortage.
“The government can also support them with all the necessary inputs since they are handicapped presently,’’ Asemagema said.
Chief Igyo Ali, the Chairman, Cassava Growers Association of Nigeria, urged government to encourage and support farmers in local government areas where there were no attacks, to cultivate massively.
Also, a Consultant at Acefields Development Partners Ltd., Mr Ushahemba Aondoakaa, and Mr Fidelis Unongo, a rice farmer, both urged the government to go into massive agricultural activities as most farmers were displaced and could not carry out agricultural activities soon.
A cassava processor, Mr Joseph Ameh, appealed to the government to revive the marketing boards, to enable them to mop up produce and store for the rainy days.
According to him, this is a long term measure to tackle food insecurity.