By Alpha Abu
The Co-ordinator of the Regional Rice Value Chain Project (RRVCP), Abdulai Bu Wai has told a gathering of Community Stakeholders, Project Partners and the Media that the Torma Bum rice farming project is on course, and that the start of next year will witness a full thrust by all its various components.
At a well -attended gathering at the community market in Torma on Friday, Wai said they were working towards having three planting seasons per year which would contribute immensely to reducing the country’s dependency on rice importation and save the government much-needed foreign exchange. He said that at its peak the project would reduce the country’s rice importation by 60 percent, with individual farming including subsistence accounting for the remaining 40 percent, hence replacing rice importation.
He acknowledged the challenges encountered in their first year of planting which he described as a test case, and this year’s, which was experiencing a comparatively much larger scale that he said was almost ready for harvest.
He said Egyptian experts with a reputation in skilled irrigation work had visited and identified four farm sites where 4,000 hectares of land would undergo expert irrigation work next year which he described as the most expensive component of the project. But he noted that such work could only be done where there was sustainable electricity, and was hopeful that aspect would be addressed.
He also explained how the project would soon be equipped with advanced Integrated Mills to treat and package well-polished rice.
He said Mechanical Dryers would be attached to the Milling Machines to ensure the rice was free of stones or sand or other particles.
He also disclosed that Orders have already been placed for prefabricated structures to house the mills.
He encouraged the private companies already with the project to continue the working relationship and for people not to listen to what he said are misleading comments about the project.
Wai said they are trying to attract other partners and spoke of funding by the Islamic Development Bank, and the Government of Sierra Leone and the expected support from the Arab Bank or BADEA.
He said they would want the project office to relocate to the Torma Bum site with Quarters for workers as it is involves a lot commuting between Bo where the office is presently based, and Torma bum.
He urged the Government to support the idea of establishing an Agric. Industrial Zone around that farm belt.
Wai said 10 stores were under construction for selling of the packaged rice that will purely be run by women, prioritising the project’s Gender considerations.
A conducted tour of existing storage facilities being repaired or rebuilt and expansive near-ripe rice farm sites such as the one at Makita was led by the project coordinator. A demonstrative mechanised harvesting of the rice was also carried out.
The local Paramount Chief, Alex KaiPumu said the project will boost trade and employment in his chiefdom, and expressed gratitude to President Julius Maad Bio for supporting the rice project.
Some 2,000 (two thousand) people are expected to gain employment when the project is fully operational.
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