Hajiya Hadizat Isah, the Niger State Programme Coordinator for the Federal Government’s IFAD VCDP Additional Financing programme, has expressed concern over the low usage of rice threshing machines by farmers in parts of the state.
These machines were provided as part of an initiative to help increase harvest yields and reduce post-harvest losses.
The statement was made by Dr. Lawal Mohammed, the Value Chain Agricultural Production Officer, during a training session for rice farmers in Majingari, Katcha Local Government Area.
According to Dr. Mohammed, the IFAD programme distributed threshing machines to rice farmers in the eight participating local government areas of Niger State to help reduce losses during harvest.
However, many farmers have abandoned the machines in favor of traditional threshing methods, thereby missing out on the benefits of increased efficiency and reduced losses.
The programme coordinator lamented that due to the underutilization of such equipment, Nigeria faces a significant challenge, with up to 40 percent of post-harvest losses in the agricultural sector.
During the training, Hajiya Isah emphasized the importance of adopting best agronomy practices, including the proper use of threshing machines, to minimize losses and improve production, particularly for dry season farming.
One beneficiary of the programme, Mustapha P. Gaiya, a rice farmer from Shiroro Local Government, shared his positive experience with the thresher, explaining how it has boosted his harvest and income.
He noted that while some farmers consider the thresher to be slow, he finds it faster and more efficient, allowing him to thresh over 40 bags of rice in a day.
ALSO READ;Tax reform bills: Senator Ekong vows to protect Akwa Ibom’s interests
Prof. Abigail Jirgi, the Lead Consultant for the IFAD programme in Niger State, also emphasized the need for farmers to follow best practices throughout the entire rice production process, from harvest to storage, in order to reduce losses.
She urged farmers not to burn rice crop residues, as it depletes soil nutrients, but to allow the residues to decompose and enrich the soil. Prof. Jirgi also called on community leaders to encourage farmers to adopt these best practices for improved yields and economic growth.
The Majingari community, represented by Mohammed Idris Ndaloke, expressed gratitude for the training and pledged to support the effort to educate local farmers on improving their harvest practices and overall economic prosperity.
and then