The federal government is implementing a 6-year Value Chain Development Programme in six states of Niger, Ogun, Taraba, Benue, Ebonyi and Anambra.
The aim of the programme is to enhance the profitability of smallholder farmers and small/medium-scale agro-processors by improving their access to markets and their capacity to add value to locally produced raw materials.
In Anambra, the Value Chain Development Programme is an International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) assisted programme. It is co-financed by the federal government , the Anambra State Government (ANSG), the three participating local government councils and the Communities/Commodity Interest Groups (CIGs).
That Value Chain Development programme (VCDP) is breeding innovating ideas in small scale farmers and processors.
One of such innovative ideas is the adoption of ‘False Bottom Technology’ developed locally to process standard quality rice by smallholder farmers in Anambra, and Ebonyi states.
Unlike the old technology where the farmers boil the rice directly with lots of firewood and water, the ‘False Bottom Technology’ allows the farmer to separate the boiling water from the rice with a bottom plate containing small holes. This allows only the steam from the boiling water to parboil the rice.
This technology consumes less firewood and does not colour the rice when milled, unlike the old technology that produces brown rice or colours that affect the quality of the rice.
Mrs. Anierobi Ann, leader of the women rice par boilers using False Bottom Technology, said that the technology has significantly increase the quality of her milled rice adding that many consumers hardly identify what they mill from imported rice.
Many of the women who spoke with reporter affirmed that the technology is many times better than what used to be noting that their income and market demand for their rice have increased.
For Mrs. Anierobi, the major challenge however is packaging, which VCDP officials in the states said they were working on.
The Value Chain Development programme which was prepared in 2010, approved for a loan of USD 74.4 million in April 2012. The programme’s completion date is 31 December 2019.
