The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has commenced steps to certify rice produced by farmers under the International Fund for Agricultural Development–Value Chain Development Programme (IFAD-VCDP) in Enugu State, following inspections of key processing facilities across the state.
The inspection covered rice farms and processing centres in Mbulu Owo, Nkanu East Local Government Area, and Uhueze Nenwe in Aninri Local Government Area, where SON officials assessed facilities established under the IFAD-VCDP initiative.
Speaking during the visit, the SON Coordinator in Enugu State, Mr Peter Ameh, said the inspection was aimed at evaluating the facilities in line with the agency’s mandate on standardisation and quality assurance in Nigeria.
He described the infrastructure and commitment of the women cooperative groups operating the centres as “impressive and commendable.”
“The foundation is already solid. What we need to do now is improve on certain areas and guide them through the process of standardisation,” Ameh said.
He disclosed that SON would organise sensitisation and capacity-building sessions to educate cooperative members on the Nigerian Industrial Standards guiding rice production and processing.
According to him, the goal is to certify the products under the Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme (MANCAP), which assures consumers that products meet required quality standards.
“When you see the MANCAP mark on a product, it gives confidence that the product has met the required quality standards.
“We cannot give a specific timeline for certification now because we want to get the foundation right. It will be as fast as they are able to meet the requirements,” he said.
Ameh urged the cooperatives to strictly adhere to standard operating procedures and documentation requirements, including necessary registrations, to fast-track certification. He expressed optimism that once certified, the rice processed at the centres would be competitive in markets nationwide.
Also speaking, the State Programme Coordinator of IFAD-VCDP in Enugu State, Dr Edward Isiwu, said the initiative was designed to ensure that rice processed in the state meets national quality benchmarks.
Isiwu noted that with strong backing from Governor Peter Mbah, the programme had, over the past four years, shifted agriculture in the state from subsistence farming to agribusiness.
“Farming is no longer done the crude way; it is now a business and because it is a business, we must ensure returns on investment for our farmers,” he said.
He explained that IFAD-VCDP constructed a modern aggregation centre and installed a state-of-the-art rice processing mill for women cooperative groups to reduce post-harvest losses.
The facilities, he said, were funded through a matching grant arrangement, with IFAD and the Enugu State Government providing 70 per cent of the equipment costs, while cooperatives contributed 30 percent. Buildings and related infrastructure were provided at no cost to the beneficiaries.
“We built an aggregation centre because the women complained of heavy post-harvest losses due to lack of storage facilities.
“We also equipped a processing mill, provided water through a solar-powered borehole and established a creche to enable nursing mothers to work while their children are cared for,” Isiwu said.
He added that the state government was determined to ensure that rice cultivated in Enugu is processed, branded and marketed within the state, boosting local value addition.
Inviting SON to inspect the facilities, he said, was part of efforts to secure certification for “Enugu-grown rice” and enhance its competitiveness.
“Our goal is to have SON-certified Enugu rice and other produce so that our products can compete favourably in markets across the country,” he stated.
Earlier, the Traditional Ruler of Mbulu Owo, HRH Okeke Arum, welcomed the SON delegation and pledged continued support for women farmers in the community.
A representative of Chidiebube Rice Cooperative, Nenwe, Mrs Nnenna Ejim, commended SON’s intervention and stressed the importance of certification.
“We are into rice production, processing and marketing. We want our rice to go beyond Enugu State,” Ejim said.
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