The Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources  in Akwa Ibom State, Mr Godwin Afangideh, has said that government would acquire 10 power tiller machines to boost rice production in the state.

Mr Afangideh made the announcement in Uyo recently at the official presentation of two power tiller machines and opening of a training on SAWAH Eco-Technology on rice production for rice farmers.

According to him, SAWAH is a multi-functional wetland and ecology based sustainable farming technology applicable to local and socio-cultural systems to increase farming productivity and improve the environment.

He said that the machine which had capacity to till one hectare of rice farm in a day would spur all inactive stakeholders to embrace the production of rice.

“As a boost to the acceleration of rice production in the state, the ministry of agriculture and natural resources will place order for 10 power tiller machines through the National Centre for Agricultural Mechanisation (NCAM).

“Sawah Eco-Technology training for rice farming will not only further sensitise our people on rice production, it will also spur all inactive stakeholders such as youths and women to action.”

He asserted that since the major problem militating against rice production was poor land preparation, a lack of capital and drudgery among others, the machine would reduce labour used by farmers.

Mr Afangideh said that since most of the field preparation work would be done by the tiller machine the irrigation and drainage of the field would be properly managed by farmers to improve yield.

He said that under the Rice Value Chain of the Federal Government Agricultural Transformation Agenda, the state had been allocated two modern rice mills.

According to Afangideh, the mills are to be operated under public private partnership to address the issue of rice paddy processing.

He urged youths to embrace agriculture as a business, adding that it was more sustainable than holding political office.

Earlier in his welcome address, the state’s Project Coordinator of FADAMA 111, Mr Richard Sam, said that the state was happy to embrace the SAWAH Eco-Technology project for rice production.

Sam said that the farmers would be trained on the use of the machine for 17 days by NCAM engineers before the farmers would start operating the machine themselves.

He urged rice farmers in the state to take the training seriously to ensure that they made adequate use of the machines to increase rice production in the state.

Presenting the machines for demonstration, Dr Segun Ademiluyi, an official of NCAM said that with regular maintenance, the machines would last over five years.