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From Chijioke Agwu, Abakaliki
For the chief executive officer of Ebere West Farms Nigeria Limited and national deputy president of Mega Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (MERFAN), Chief Ebere Orji, the country has all it takes to be self-sufficient in food production. According to him, government can also use agriculture to create employment for our teeming youths as a panacea to the problem of insecurity in the country.
He said: “Nigeria can achieve a whole lot through agriculture. I certainly know what I’m talking about because I have been into agriculture business for over 21 years. It has been a wonderful experience despite that every business has its ups and down. But we are doing very well. This year, we were able to employ over 1,500 farmers in our farm on a daily basis for three months. By doing so, we have contributed our quota in solving the unemployment problem in Ohoazara Local Government Area in particular and Ebonyi State at large. So, from my experience over the years, I can tell you that agriculture is the only way out for Africa.
“Agriculture is a very good business; it is a win-win situation. It is a business that, once you are able to give people what they want, you are going to make your profit. But the problem we are having now is lack of government support. That support is to bring in machines, not necessarily money. Most of us (the mega farmers), don’t really need cash; all we need is equipment like tractors, harvesters and planters, among others and you will see it working. If an Igboman ventures into any business, he will put in all his efforts, knowledge and techniques to make it work. This year, we were able to cultivate 300 hectares of land. We sold over 500 pigs in our farm. In our poultry, we have over 2,000 layers and we have fishponds in and outside Ebonyi State. In Ebere West Farms, anything you need in agriculture we have it. So, agriculture is the key.”
What should be done to ensure food sufficiency in the country? Orji, who is also the regional manager and coordinator of Maize Growers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria (MAGPAMAN), said: “The government should put more interest in agriculture. When our borders were closed, we thought that it was the end but Nigeria, even Ebonyi State, was able to sustain itself. The Ebonyi State government even went the extra mile to close our own border too. Everybody should go back to the farm, the youths have to go back to the farm. As the mega rice farmers’ vice-president, our target this year is 1,000 hectares, which we would like to show you here in Eguogwu Uburu. We must live by example. Agriculture is the first work that God gave to mankind. Before the existence of computers, the highest employer of labour was a Greek farmer in America, who employed over 7,000 farmers. So, agro-business is something that, if you do it with commitment and dedication, you will see the result. Three mega farmers can feed Ebonyi State with government support and good irrigation system. Even this insecurity you see everywhere in Nigeria today, it is partly due to hunger. Government can use agriculture to keep our youths busy and they will forget about crimes.”
On how he copes with storage after production and getting buyers, Orji said: “That is another problem. In MAGPAMAN, they gave us a manual dryer and a thresher, but we also need the government to support us in this area. We can also support our local manufacturers to produce some of the storage machines.
“The demand for maize in this country now is high. People are looking for maize everywhere. My pigs are sold all over the state. I have contacts and websites where people order for our products. Whatever thing they want, we sell to them. We dry our fish and sell; we also sell fresh fish. There are off-takers waiting for our maize and rice. We have a rice mill in Iboko, where we mill, polish, de-stone and package. Our problem is basically machines. We need processing machines.”
On the staff strength at Ebere West Farms, Orji said: “I have over 25 persons working directly in my farm; these are people I pay every month. If given all the necessary machinery, I can employ over 200 people because we need people to supervise the farm. Machines cannot do everything; we still need people to operate the machines.”
What about the various agricultural interventions by the Federal Government? Orji answered, saying: “Government has been trying its best, but the problem is that 50% of the funding is going into the wrong hands. Because of corruption in our system and people’s belief in the so-called national cake, when they are taking out a loan, they first collect their own share of the money. For us to get it right, it will still take some time. But many are now taking agriculture as business because that is what it is and I love doing it. It is a good business because it makes you an employer of labour.”
MAGPAMAN was able to get the Anchor Borrowers’ funds, but the mega rice farmers association is yet to get.
Orji’s advice to the youths, who prefer white-collar jobs: “I want them to know that agriculture is paying very well. My manager has a master’s degree in agriculture and he can testify that it is paying. Everybody must not work in government offices. Even some of our farmers are doing better than some government workers. One of our members in Benue State is riding a car worth over N6 million and is running serious scholarship scheme for indigent students in his area every year. So, agriculture holds serious promise and opportunity for our youths.”
