By Ken Stanley

The beneficiaries of the Agricultural Transformation Agenda Support Programme Phase-One (ATASP-1) have lauded the programme for its great socioeconomic impacts in their lives and a means to tackle food insecurity.

The beneficiaries, who are farmers and agro-industrialists under the ATASP-1 programme in Enugu and Anambra States, commended the Africa Development Bank (AfDB) for providing strategic infrastructural, capacity development and support for rural farmers, processors and other agricultural value-chain actors.

Beneficiaries gave the commendations on Wednesday when a delegation from AfDB, Federal Ministries of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS), Ministries of Finance and Water Resources, and ATASP-1 officials toured project sites executed by the programme in Adani-Omor Zonal Programme Implementation Unit.

A lead farmer, Chief Bernard Idu, who spoke on behalf of farmers in Adani in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area (LGA) in Enugu State, commended ATASP-1 for massive investment on the moribund Ada Rice Irrigation system, Obinna Bridge and other projects.

Idu narrated the difficulties and huge costs that farmers experienced while trying to evacuate produce from the farmlands after the old bridge collapsed until ATASP-1 came to their rescue.

“Our farmers are now preparing to start dry season farming because we now have a concrete canal to supply us water. We also have a bridge across Obinna River giving us all year round access to irrigation farming,” he said.

Corroborating, the Chairman of Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area in Enugu State, Chief Chijioke Ezugwu, also commended ATASP-1 for the quality of infrastructure they built in the area.

Ezugwu, represented by Local Government Secretary, Mr Casmir Adamu, during the tour inspection, pledged that the council would continue to partner with the Federal and state governments in ensuring the security of farmers and well utilization of the infrastructures.

Some of the project sites visited in Adani, Uzo-Uwani LGA in Enugu State by the high-powered delegation were the recently completed Concrete-Lining of 22.45KM Ada Rice Irrigation System, which is billed to facilitate dry season rice farming early next year.

The team also inspected the Double-Span Obinna Bridge, also built under ATASP-1 to provide access to the irrigation farm area, built a modern rice market at Adani as well as Modern Cottage Hospital at Asaba community in Uzo-Uwani LGA.

In Anambra State, the team also visited the Lower Anambra Irrigation Project (LAIP) pumping station at Ifite-Ogwari, visited ongoing Concrete Lining of 44.1 kilometre m long canal and inspected all completed access roads at Omor community in Ayamelum.LGA.

The team also interacted with beneficiaries in the area who took turns to testify how the ATASP-1 training on Good Agronomic Practices (GAPs) and other supports had transformed their lives.

Speaking, Chief Obiora Mmuoneke, a rice farmer/processor from Omor, testified that with ATASP-1 training and support, he was able to build a six room bungalow and train three of his children to university level and expand his business.

In the same vein, Mrs. Gloria Udemezue, a rice farmer and processor from Omor, said that apart from expanding her farmland from two to six hectares, “I now make more money from producing snacks from rice flour”.

According to Udemezue, under ATASP-1, my farming business has prospered beyond my imagination, from the proceeds I am building a house and training my four children in schools, among others.

A lead farmer in the area, Chief Cletus Obiora, while thanking ATASP-1, remarked that with the Concrete lining and resuscitation of the Irrigation system, they are expecting to produce more tonnes of rice annually.

Earlier in a remark, the Zonal Coordinator of ATASP-1 Adani-Omor Zone, Dr Romanus Egba, said the aim of the programme was to give the farmers a sure means of survival by empowering them with capacity building and inputs supports.

Egba said that the programme also aimed at creating an enabling environment for increased food production with economic and social/ancillary infrastructures also provided to enhance their living standard.

The National Programme Coordinator, Dr. Ibrahim Arabi, also added that ATASP-1 had proven to be a game-changer in the quest by the Federal Government to address food Insecurity in the country.

Arabi expressed joy with the outpouring of testimonies from beneficiaries of the programme within the Adani-Omor Zone.

The AfDB’s Task Team Manager of ATASP-1, Dr Tobi Karikari, also expressed satisfaction with the achievements made so far by the Federal Government through ATASP-1 both in provision of Infrastructure and empowerment for the farmers.

Karikari, therefore called on the farmers to put into proper use the facilities and knowledge gathered, to enable them contribute their quota towards building a greater society.