The State’s provision is already improving domestic production of rice in the locality.
The mission to stop the importation of rice and put more rice on the table of Cameroonians at good prices is on track with the Upper Nun Valley Development Authority- UNVDA, turning full circle. It emerged from the 42nd board meeting of the agro-industry on August 14, 2012 that resources recently made available by the State inspires big dreams towards the exploitation of all the 15,000 hectares of land earmarked for rice farms in the Ndop plain and neighborhoods.
Away from that, a mid-term evaluation meeting revealed that the UNVDA loan scheme conceived in 2010 to empower farmers with inputs and chemicals has since improved production from about 3-5 metric tonnes of rice per hectare. Production Head, Azomba Abena Simon told Cameroon Tribune that the agro-industry is currently at the end of transformation from nurseries to rice fields. On-the- spot in Ndop, the UNVDA currently works with some 12,000 farmers producing "Tox 3145" or the long grain rice on about 3,000 hectares of land. The machines, bought from funds from the State have facilitated production with the provision of fertilizers and chemicals at low cost. Farmers also enjoy the privilege of hiring UNVDA tractors at moderate cost for land preparation while the agro-industry also sells improved seeds to farmers.
That apart, the Head of the Land Development and Constructions Department, Francis Fonayi Waindim says, the new acquisition of heavy duty equipment is helping matters in road works. To show for it include a grader, compactor, wheel loader and a hydraulics excavator. Awaited is a bulldozer D6 and Low Loader, to ease the transportation of equipment. It is against this backdrop that UNVDA is currently on song with the rehabilitation of some 2,532 hectares of land that had since been developed and abandoned .That apart, the General Manager of the Agro Industry, Chin Richard Wirnkar has stated preparedness of management to work to accomplish the prescriptions of the Board of Directors with sound management records, check conflicts between crop and livestock farmers and the judicious use of resources to play a front role towards stopping the importation of rice. The UNVDA Board Chairman, Tikela Kemonne presided at the board session that adopted its 2011 administrative and management accounts, presented financial accounts as at December 31,2011, deliberated on the auditor’s report and adopted the 2012 first semester activities.
