Chinedum Treasure
The Federal Government/International Fund for Agricultural Development Value Chain Development Programme (FGN/IFAD-VCDP) says Anambra farmers are increasingly turning cassava, rice and other farm produce into value-added products.
The programme said the development was creating opportunities for income generation and job creation among farmers.
Dr Deborah Onyefulu, state programme Coordinator, VCDP, stated this at a two-day Interactive Commodity Promotion Show and Agricultural Fair, on Wednesday in Awka.
The fair was organised in collaboration with the Anambra State Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation, Processing and Export.
Onyefulu, represented by Mrs Mary Obiekwe, Acting state Business and Market Development Officer, said the fair was designed to give farmers visibility, create market opportunities and showcase the impact of training provided under the programme.
She said the initiative was also aimed at strengthening the rice and cassava value chains by equipping farmers with skills to process farm produce into marketable products, including cassava moi-moi, chin-chin, cake and chocolate.
“The fair is to create visibility for our farmers and highlight efforts toward enhancing the rice and cassava value chains for sustainable agricultural transformation.
“We are also assessing how far the farmers have gone with the various trainings they received on cassava, rice and vegetable value chains,” she said.
The two-day fair featured farmers from nine participating Local Government Areas of the state, including Ayamelum, Anambra East, Anambra West, Orumba North, Awka North, Orumba South, Ihiala, Ogbaru and Aguata.
The products were assessed by judges from the state Ministry of Agriculture based on economic value, processing, sustainability, nutritional value, packaging, value addition and compliance with agricultural techniques.
Speaking on behalf of the judges, Dr Victor Uchemba, an Agricultural Extension Specialist at Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, commended the farmers for their commitment to improving the quality and marketability of their products.
Mr John Okafor, Director, Agro Market Square, said the training was yielding positive results, noting that the quality of products from Anambra farmers had improved significantly compared with four or five years ago.
Okafor, who said his organisation partnered farmers for the off-take of processed and unprocessed agricultural products, urged government to provide more training, funding and inputs to sustain the gains.
“Based on the product evaluation, analysis and quality control carried out, I can tell you that Anambra farmers have improved.
“But the farmers need support to drive sustainability because the end goal is to sell, make money, stay in business and create jobs,” he said.
Mr Nnaemeka Agundu, a farmer from Awka North, said the various trainings by FG/IFAD-VCDP had improved his knowledge of farm business, particularly in processing, packaging and marketing.
Agundu said the training had enabled him to expand his agro-business venture and improve his income.
“With this fair, we will get more visible in the market, meet the needs of the people and improve our livelihoods,” he said.
At the end of the assessment, Orumba South emerged first, while Ihiala and Aguata came second and third, respectively.
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