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The Enugu State Commissioner for Agriculture, Patrick Ubru, today, Tuesday led a delegation from the Federal Government and the Enugu Ministry of Agriculture to Adarice Farm in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State, to inspect projects and interact with farmers.

The delegation, which comprises the Chairman, House Committee on Agriculture and member representing Nsukka East in the Enugu State House of Assembly, Hon. Ejike Eze, Special Adviser to the governor of Enugu State on Donor Relations, Dubem Onyia (jnr), Zonal Program Coordinator, Agricultural Transformation Agenda Support Programme (ATASP 1), Egba Romanus, Enugu-born investor and agriculturist, Alhaji Sani Friday Nnaji, Project Manager, Diyoke Consultant Ltd, Engr. Sunday Okonkwo, among others, inspected some completed and ongoing projects in Adarice Farm, viz. Northern Zone, Eastern Zone and Adarice World Bank Zone.

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Leading the delegation round the different zones, the Project Manager, Diyoke Consultant Limited, Engr. Sunday Okonkwo introduced the newly built Obinna Bridge, which was a federal government sponsored project through ATASP-1, irrigation facilities which will be supplying water to all the farms during dry season and other successful projects executed by the ATASP through his company.

Mr. Okonkwo reiterated that all the earth works which needed to be done on all the roads in the site have been done, maintaining that there is need for the other contractor, Anbeez Construction Company which stopped the tarring of the major link roads as a result of the then collapsed Adarice Bridge, to complete the work since the bridge has been rebuilt.

“This Obinna Bridge is the major entrance way to Adarice Farm, it was rebuilt by the ATASP-1. We also have a dam somewhere up there which may be 10 kilometers away from this Northern Zone. From the dam, you will get the primary canal which supplies water to the secondary and then to the distributory canal (tertiary) which now supplies directly to the farms. With this in place, farmers can start their dry season farming by this upcoming dry season,” Okonkwo said.

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Lending voice, the Zonal Program Coordinator, Egba Romanus stated that the earth work into Village One and Village Two where some of the farmers are living that should be done by ATASP-2 would soon start.

The Zonal Program Coordinator while on a visit to the Adani Ricemill with the Commissioner and his team, assured the traders at the Ricemill that the issue of flooding being experienced in the environment of the newly built market would soon be solved to enable them utilize the place.

“This market was built to ensure comfort for the Adani Rice traders, and their business. The market is already completed, we shall sand-fill the environment and make sure that the traders do not experience any discomfort during their trade,” ATASP-1 Zonal Program Coordinator assured.

The Commissioner while expressing happiness over the numbers of successful works done in Adarice Farm and Ricemill thanked the ATASP-1 coordinator and his team members for their good works, reminding the farmers that the intention of Governor Mbah’s administration is to unlock the rural areas through numerous agricultural programmes, provision of access roads and other agricultural facilities, educating the farmers on modern agro developments, ensuring that farming in Enugu becomes completely tech-driven, among others.

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“The Gpvernor and ATASP are serious in making sure that their mission in agriculture is realized. According to the Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, his administration is business unusual. We are in a new era where the governor will be delighted to see the rural areas unlocked through agricultural revolution. Uzo-Uwani is well known for agriculture and I am very sure that we can feed the entire state. We are ready for any kind of farming you can think of, and we equally have investors who are also interested. Here with us is Alhaji Sani Nnaji, a top agricultural investor and we also have Chairman, Committee on Agriculture from the Enugu State House of Assembly, Hon. Ejike Eze. This is to tell you that we are here for a serious business,” the commissioner stated.

He further urged the farmers to ensure that their accurate data is being sent to the Ministry of Agriculture to enable the ministry communicate with them whenever there is any intervention programme from the state government, reiterating that the government of Peter Mbah is out to give farmers all the needed assistance that will enable them thrive.

While taking a tour from Adarice Farm down to Adani Ricemill where he had met with the leadership of the Adani Rice Producers and Marketers Association who expressed their happiness on the projects being executed by the federal government through its ATASP -1 programme, the Commissioner applauded the Zonal Coordinator of ATASP -1, Egba Romanus for a job well done in the newly built Adani Ricemill, and requested that the traders should immediately relocate to the new Ricemill once the environment has been sand-filled to avoid the flood which the marketers complained was the reason for not using the newly built market.

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Ezea Cyprain, Bernard Idu, Diugwu Christian, among others who spoke on behalf of the farmers and traders expressed their readiness to cooperate with the state government to enable the mission and visions of the Governor in making sure that Enugu becomes the number one exporter of agricultural produce would be achieved.