Rice farmers to build 130, 000 metric tonnes processing plant in Delta -Official

From Nosa Akenzua, Asaba.

Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) is to build a 130,000 metric tonne rice processing plant in Delta, the Deputy President of the Association, Segun Atho has said.
Atho who spoke to our correspondent in Asaba on Tuesday disclosed that the processing plant when established would not only support the farmers but create jobs for youths and women in Delta State, adding that plans were being worked out to ensure that meeting of all rice farmers in the southern geo political zone hold in Asaba to expose members to the best practices and opportunities in the Anchor Borrowers Programme.
He described the programme as a cashless system designed for members to key in and get loans from CBN following the due process with commitment to repay the loan at three installments within 18 months periods, adding that capturing of members and mapping out of the farmlands would soon commence in the state.
According to Atho;”RIFAN was set up to unite all members to benefit from the available resources for rice farmers, I call on members to organize themselves into Cooperative of not less than ten and more than twenty members as the programme will not give member Cash but Items will be offered the farmers and all that are required of a registered member is personal details such as name, Bank Verification number (BVN) farm location and LGA, others”.
While thanking HRM Patrick Illiromah, the King of Ibrede, Ndokwa East local Government for donating a vast land for the programme, Atho disclosed that the only way of empowering people particularly the youths was in Agriculture where the vacancies exist at all times adding that” RIFRAN will provide tractors with all its complement, Plough, harrow and plant the rice seedlings and offtake the produce from the farmers at harvest, the Loan materials would only be given to those with biometric cards captured for the programme”