Abia, FADAMA III to reactivate 22-year-old Igu Dam for all-year rice production
The FADAMA III State Programme Coordinator, Dr. Ezinne Otuka, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday.
The Abia State Government through the state FADAMA III Coordination Office is planning to reactivate the popular Igu Dam for an all-the-year rice production on the Bende rice belt.
The FADAMA III State Programme Coordinator, Dr. Ezinne Otuka, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday.
Otuka said the Igu Dam situated in Bende Local Government Area of Abia State was a World Bank project completed and handed over to the old Imo State in 1979.
Otuka, however, said it was sad that the project, which was to encourage rice production in the country, had been moribund for over 22 years.
She said that the dam when functional could irrigate over 4,300 hectares of rice field all through the year.
Otuka said that with over 20,000 hectares of rice field across Bende Local Government Area, “we want to make a statement that Abia can produce enough rice to feed its people and beyond”.
She said: “We have well over 20,000 hectares of land in the rice belt of Bende Local Government Area of the state.
“We also have the Igu Dam which was a World Bank project to encourage rice production in the old Eastern State that we are trying to reactivate through the FADAMA III office.”
She said that the state government had already contacted the World Bank for work to start at the site and the financial institution did not object.
Otuka commended the state governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, for its interest and assistance in ensuring that the state participated in the FADAMA III Additional Financing project.
She said that the state government under the current administration had brought back life to FADAMA activities through the payment of counterpart funds.
Otuka said: “It is because of the interest Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu has in agriculture that we are talking about FADAMA III Additional Financing in the state.
“We are indebted to him for making things right and reactivating the production cluster of the state.”
She said that the state was piloting two crops: rice and cassava, under the project.
Otuka further stated: “Today, FADAMA is promoting and trying to cultivate over 7,000 hectares of rice in the state to ensure we produce Made-in -Abia rice before the end of the year.
“Once we have been able to make the production of rice available, even the farmers will know that they are in business.”
She said that the state government through the FADAMA III office had installed rice de-stoners in Atani Abam and Ofeme in Arochukwu and Umuahia North Local Government Areas of the state, respectively.
Otuka said: “The problem we have always had with local rice is the sand but once you remove the stone and sort out the black eyes and others, you have real clean rice and that is what we have done.”
Otuka appealed to Nigerians to patronise locally produced rice as it had inherent health benefits.
The Eagle Online
The Abia State Government through the state FADAMA III Coordination Office is planning to reactivate the popular Igu Dam for an all-the-year rice production on the Bende rice belt.
The FADAMA III State Programme Coordinator, Dr. Ezinne Otuka, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday.
Otuka said the Igu Dam situated in Bende Local Government Area of Abia State was a World Bank project completed and handed over to the old Imo State in 1979.
Otuka, however, said it was sad that the project, which was to encourage rice production in the country, had been moribund for over 22 years.
She said that the dam when functional could irrigate over 4,300 hectares of rice field all through the year.
Otuka said that with over 20,000 hectares of rice field across Bende Local Government Area, “we want to make a statement that Abia can produce enough rice to feed its people and beyond”.
She said: “We have well over 20,000 hectares of land in the rice belt of Bende Local Government Area of the state.
“We also have the Igu Dam which was a World Bank project to encourage rice production in the old Eastern State that we are trying to reactivate through the FADAMA III office.”
She said that the state government had already contacted the World Bank for work to start at the site and the financial institution did not object.
Otuka commended the state governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, for its interest and assistance in ensuring that the state participated in the FADAMA III Additional Financing project.
She said that the state government under the current administration had brought back life to FADAMA activities through the payment of counterpart funds.
Otuka said: “It is because of the interest Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu has in agriculture that we are talking about FADAMA III Additional Financing in the state.
“We are indebted to him for making things right and reactivating the production cluster of the state.”
She said that the state was piloting two crops: rice and cassava, under the project.
Otuka further stated: “Today, FADAMA is promoting and trying to cultivate over 7,000 hectares of rice in the state to ensure we produce Made-in -Abia rice before the end of the year.
“Once we have been able to make the production of rice available, even the farmers will know that they are in business.”
She said that the state government through the FADAMA III office had installed rice de-stoners in Atani Abam and Ofeme in Arochukwu and Umuahia North Local Government Areas of the state, respectively.
Otuka said: “The problem we have always had with local rice is the sand but once you remove the stone and sort out the black eyes and others, you have real clean rice and that is what we have done.”
Otuka appealed to Nigerians to patronise locally produced rice as it had inherent health benefits.
The Eagle Online
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