The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has expressed satisfaction with the rice processing centres established under the International Fund for Agricultural Development-Value Chain Development Programme (IFAD-VCDP) in Enugu State.
The organization made the commendation during inspections of rice farms in Mbulu Owo in Nkanu East and Uhueze Nenwe in Aninri Council Areas of Enugu with IFAD-VCDP officials.
Speaking during the visit, Mr Peter Ameh, the Coordinator of SON in Enugu, said the organisation inspected the processing centres to see what they had on ground as SON was responsible for standardisation and quality assurance of products in Nigeria.
Ameh described the facilities and efforts of the women farmers as “impressive and commendable.
“The foundation is already solid. What we need to do now is improve on certain areas and guide them through the process of standardisation,” he said.
He said SON would conduct sensitisation and capacity-building sessions for the cooperative members to enable them understand the Nigerian Industrial Standards for rice production and processing.
According to him, the ultimate goal is to certify the products under the Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme (MANCAP) to assure consumers of quality.
“When you see the MANCAP mark on a product, it gives confidence that the product has met the required quality standards.
“We cannot give a specific timeline for certification now because we want to get the foundation right. It will be as fast as they are able to meet the requirements,” he said.
Ameh advised the cooperative members to adhere strictly to standard procedures and documentation requirements, including necessary registrations, to facilitate certification.
He expressed optimism that once certified, the rice produced at the centres would be competitive in markets across the country.
Also speaking, Dr Edward Isiwu, the State Programme Coordinator of IFAD-VCDP, Enugu State, said the move was aimed at ensuring that rice processed in the state met national standards.
Isiwu said the programme, with massive support from Gov. Peter Mbah, had worked over the past four years to reposition farming in the state from subsistence to agribusiness.
“Farming is no longer done the crude way; it is now a business and because it is a business, we must ensure returns on investment for our farmers,” he said.
He explained that IFAD-VCDP had constructed a modern aggregation centre and a state-of-the-art rice processing mill for women cooperative groups to reduce post-harvest losses.
According to him, the facilities were funded through a matching grant arrangement, with IFAD and the state government providing 70 per cent of the equipment cost.
He explained that the cooperatives contributed 30 per cent while buildings and other infrastructure were provided for them free.
“We built an aggregation centre because the women complained of heavy post-harvest losses due to lack of storage facilities.
“We also equipped a processing mill, provided water through a solar-powered borehole and established a creche to enable nursing mothers to work while their children are cared for,” he said.
The programme director noted that the state government was determined to ensure that rice grown in Enugu was also processed and branded within the state.
He added that inviting SON to inspect the facilities was to ensure compliance with required standards and pave the way for certification of “Enugu-grown rice.”
“Our goal is to have SON-certified Enugu rice and other produce so that our products can compete favourably in markets across the country,” he said.
Welcoming the SON officials earlier, the Traditional Ruler of Mbulu Owo, HRH Okeke Arum, pledged to always support women farmers in the community.
A representative of Chidiebube Rice Cooperative, Nenwe, Mrs Nnenna Ejim, while commending SON, emphasised the need for Enugu State to certify rice produced in the State.
“We are into rice production, processing and marketing. We want our rice to go beyond Enugu State,” Ejim said.(NAN)