Nasarawa State Programme Manager of the Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP), Dr Eunice Adgizi says the programme is excited with Mr. Okolo Jonathan, a beneficiary of the program for scaling up the rice production to 54 hectares.
The programme manager stated this while she led a team of supervisors to the beneficiary’ rice farm in Tunga community of Awe Local Government Area (LGA) of the State.
She explained that the beneficiary, alongside 14 others, was trained by VCDP on rice seedling production in 2021 and was given startup packs to cultivate one hectare of land.
Adgidzi added that they are proud of the beneficiary who has scared up from one hectare in 2021 to 54 hectares in 2024.
“As an entrepreneur, he utilised the little support he had gotten from us to become a mechanised rice farmer.
“I am also excited because he is using a combined harvesting machine in harvesting his rice due size of the farm.
“From a beneficiary, he has now become a service provider, due to his passion for what he is doing.
“He is now supplying rice seedlings to us, and we use it to provide to other farmers,” she added.
The program manager further said that with the performance of the farmer and others who had scared up to three hectares, their target of increasing food security and reducing poverty would be achieved.
On his part, Okolo Jonathan appreciated VCDP and attributed the feat he has achieved today to the training and support they gave him.
Jonathan explained that he had started with one hectare in 2022, increased to five hectares in 2023, and now 54 hectares.
“I am not yet where I want to be, but trusting God I will continue to improve until I achieve my target.
“I have hired the combined harvesting machine I am using, but trusting God, we will plan to buy our own in the future,” he added.
Okolo also said that using the combined harvesting machine has reduced post-harvest loss by 80 percent.
On his part, Mr Olanrewaju Alabi, Logistic Manager of Sasala Agro-Bis, owners of the combined harvester, said that the machine is very efficient and affordable.
He explained that they are harvesting rice in one hectare within one hour.
“We give the machine out for N200,000 per hectare, and it minimises loss because it will harvest and separate the rice from grasses as well as chaffs,” he added. (NAN).