No fewer than 100 farmers from Ebonyi, Anambra and Ogun states were yesterday trained on modern agricultural mechanization by the National Center for Agricultural Mechanization (NCAM), in collaboration with the Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) in Anambra State.
The training on mechanization and dry season cultivation of rice and cassava were funded by International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
The training on rice mechanization took place at Anaku in Ayamelum Local Government Area while that of Cassava cultivation was practically demonstrated at Igbariam in Anambra East council area of the state.
Speaking at the rice production centre in Anaku, the National Programme Coordinator, IFAD Value Chain Development Programme, Mr. Ameh Onoja, said the essence of the program was to introduce the farmers to the culture of dry season rice production which had never been practiced in the past in the state.
Mr. Onoja, who stressed that the program would attract access roads to the farm and as well provide inputs such as fertilizer and seeds, also informed that dry season rice field, due for harvesting now was cultivated three months ago with the help of the tube-wells (Shallow boreholes) provided in the area.
The Anambra State Programme Coordinator, Value Chain Development Programme, IFAD Assisted, Mr. Emmanuel Nnamdi Agwuncha noted that the choice of Anaku for rice production was due to the water level in the area, adding that the programme will also provide more machines for rice harvesting, threshing, milling, polishing and bagging.
Mr. Agwuncha while pointing out the readiness of IFAD to further train them on good agronomic practices in rice production, expressed gratitude in the farm output, reiterating that the dry season cultivation would engage youths to be more productive and as well strengthen the economy of the state.
Demonstrating on the rice machine called, Power Tiller, the Technology Promoter, NCAM, Mr. Dada Joel Temitope, said, the 8.5 Horse Power Capacity Tractor for land preparation performs three functions: ploughing, pudding and leveling.
While his Technical Assistant counterpart, Mr. Babatunde Isaac who demonstrated on Cassava planting machine, called Cassava Stem Planter at Igbariam, said the machine also performs three functions of cutting, planting, and fertilizer application.
Some of the farmers, Mrs. Juliet Ebue, Pastor Benjamin Onyebuchi and Ifeoma Mebo expressed gratitude, saying that the new technologies in farming would increase their yield.