The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS) has taken a significant step towards improving the livelihoods of farmers in Kogi State by organizing a two-day training on modern rice processing techniques.
Speaking during the practical session on Tuesday at ASCO Rice Processing Centre Ajaokuta, Mr Inakwu Joseph, Principal Agric Officer, FMAFS, Department of Extension Services, Abuja, said the training, aimed at ensuring higher quality, high nutritional value, and high market values.
According to Joseph, the initiative is part of the federal government’s efforts to improve farmers’ well-being and livelihoods and ensure food security in Kogi and Nigeria at large.
He emphasised that the federal government’s intention for the program is to make youths develop more interest in agriculture, beyond production, to value addition, which brings more money to improve their well-being and livelihoods.
“So, it is in the wisdom of President Bola Tinubu under his Renewed Hope Agenda in Agriculture, that we should further carry out value addition, improve food processing.
“The training, which started with a theoretical aspect, is now engaging participants practically on the field to practicalize what they have learnt,” Joseph said.
He advised the beneficiaries to put the knowledge they acquired into practice and cascade the training to other farmers in the state.
Mrs Adejoke Subair, Kogi State Coordinator, FMAFS, said the training is to add value to rice production from paddy to finished product for consumption.
Subair stated that the training which started with theoretical aspects, now focuses on practical sessions, introducing modern rice processing methods.
She noted that the benefits include improved rice quality, meeting international market standards, and enhancing food security for availability , affordability and sustainability.
She advised beneficiaries to put their knowledge into practice.
Engr. Gabriel Ojima Salifu, Resource Person for the training, said the training is targeting youths and women involved in rice processing to boost the quality of rice processing, which determines the market value of the rice.
He said the training has introduced viable modern rice processing methods to the processors, starting from cleaning of the paddy, soaking, parboiling using the steaming method.
Salifu noted that the training involves modern equipment like industrial boilers and washing Troughs, Parboiling Tanks and Bed Dryers which determine the quality of parboiled rice.
“The training is designed for 20 Lead Rice Processors, who will cascade the training to other farmers in the state,” Salifu said.
The beneficiaries commended the Federal Government and Kogi State Government for the training, saying it would greatly improve the quality of their rice processing and market values.
Mrs Blessing Samuel, a rice farmer, said the training introduced them to effective methods for quality rice production, boosting output and market value.
“We have been enlightened to know that the previous methods we have been using in our rice processing are not good enough.
“The training has had introduced us to effective and very productive methods of rice processing to have quality rice with higher nutritional and market value,” Samuel said
Mrs Pauline Agada praised the initiative, while Mohammed Ibrahim Danjuma called for financial empowerment to cascade the training effectively.
The training is part of the federal government’s efforts to improve food security in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda in Agriculture for food sufficiency.