The Enugu State Government has said that farmers in the area will soon commence dry season rice cultivation to boost commercial production of the commodity.

Mr Benjamin Onuze , the Acting Technical Director Rice Production, Enugu State Ministry of Agriculture, disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Enugu on Friday.

He said that work on activation of moribund irrigation systems had been completed by the state, noting that the ministry was already putting finishing touches on some technical issues.

Onuze, explained that the state had equally built the capacities of farmers on the dry season rice cultivation, saying that two local government areas had been mapped out for the take-off of project.

“We already have two communities in two different local government areas of the state for the dry season rice planting and they include Adani in Uzo-Uwani and Uduma in Aninri Local Government Areas,” he said.

He said the two communities were situated close to rivers, urging rice farmers in the state to take advantage of the enabling environmental created by the state to step up rice production in the area.

“We are calling on rice farmers in other communities to embrace the dry season rice planting to make Enugu occupy its rightful position among rice producing states in Nigeria,” he said.

Onuze stated that over three hundred hectares of land had been earmarked for the planting of rice, noting that Enugu government would soon provide more tractors to boost rice cultivation in the state.

The Acting Technical Director urged the people to embrace rice farming, promising to make available farmland for cultivation to improve production.

 

 

NAN