‘Avail Yourseleves Of Our Services’

The officer in-charge,
Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute (NISPRI), Mr Simon Roberts has called on farmers in the state to avail themselves with the services of the agency for the preservation of their agric produce.
Roberts who spoke to our correspondent in his office in Port Harcourt recently said most farmers think acquiring storage equipment was expensive.
He said the federal government’s agency in Rivers State was out to help farmers reduce wastage of their farm produce especially during harvest season even as he called on farmers to visit the NISPRI office located at mile 4, Ikwerre Road Port Harcourt.
He said, over the years, the agency has fabricated a wide range of equipment for the storage of various crops and vegetables like tomato, pumpkin, mangoes, oranges, plantain, yams and maize, among others.
According to the NISPRI boss, his agency’s services to the public were free as that was one of the cardinal mandates of the organisation.
He said the only aspect that people would be expected to spend money was when they wanted to acquire the equipment for keeps.
He said under special arrangement and understanding, such members of the public or the interested farmer would only have to pay for the cost of materials while the agency does the work free of charge.
Roberts said this arrangement goes to prove that the agency was out to help the public and not to necessarily make money from them.
While listing some of the major challenges to include powers, finance and logistics he said the federal government needed to review its regular allocations to the Rivers State NISPRI office.
He also said reaching out to farmers in the riverine zones of the state has been a major challenge as it was not only tasking but capital-intensive.
Roberts, who is a food preservation expert, said since the agency has no vehicles of its own to navigate the delta terrain, of the State, it has become an almost impossible task to visit farmers who need its services.

Minister Of Water Resources, Mrs Sarah Ochekpe (right), with FAO Representative to Nigeria, Louise Setshwaelo, at the inception and sensitisation workshop on development of National Irrigation Policy and Strategy in Abuja recently.