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The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has concluded a two-day training for rice farmers in Kogi State on modern rice processing techniques.

The training program, according to the ministry, was aimed at improving the livelihood of farmers in the state.

Speaking during a practical session on Tuesday at ASCO Rice Processing Centre, Ajaokuta, Mr Inakwu Joseph, the Principal Agric Officer, FMAFS, Department of Extension Services, Abuja, said the training is aimed at ensuring higher quality, high nutritional value, and high market value.

According to Joseph, the initiative was part of the federal government’s efforts to improve farmers’ well-being and livelihoods and ensure food security in Kogi and Nigeria at large.

While emphasising that the federal government’s intention for the program was to make youths develop more interest in agriculture, beyond production, to value addition, which brings more money to improve their well-being and livelihoods, Joseph added, “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 and improve food processing.”

He pointed out that “the training, which started with the theoretical aspect, later engaged participants practically on the field to practicalise what they had 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 was to add value to rice production from paddy to finished product for consumption.

Subair listed some of the training’s benefits to include “improved rice quality, meeting international market standards, and enhancing food security for availability, affordability, and sustainability.” He advised the beneficiaries to put their knowledge into practice.

Engr. Gabriel Ojima Salifu, the Resource Person for the training, pointed out that the training was essentially targeted at 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, and parboiling using the steaming method.

Salifu further explained that the training involved modern equipment like industrial boilers and washing troughs, parboiling tanks, and bed dryers, all of which determined the quality of parboiled rice.

“The training was designed for 20 lead rice processors to cascade the training to other farmers in the state,” Salifu said.

The beneficiaries commended the FG and the 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 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.

Source : msn