Rice production: NCAM advises FG to adopt ‘‘SERIF’’ technology

·        Ogun embarks on harvest

The National Centre for Agricultural Mechanization (NCAM) has called on the Federal Government (FG) to replicate the Japanese rice technology called SAWAH Eco- Technology for Rice Farming (SERIF) in all the states of the federation, just as the Ogun state has started harvesting its dry season rice farming being dividend of the technology.

This call was made by the NCAM Director of Engineering, and National Coordinator of SERIF, Dr. Engr. Segun Ademiluyi at the close of the stakeholders validation workshop on mechanization way forward towards extension of new innovations in Agriculture held at Idofia complex of the centre, Ilorin , Kwara state last week.

Ademiluyi called on the FG to replicate SERIF in all her rice producing states for its potential to increase yield at a longer sustainable years with cost effectiveness on fertilizer usage as the system allowed nitrogen fixation back into the soil, saying that the technology disallowed weed invasions just as the tillering are being reduced on the land for longer rice production on the same land.

 He said that ‘’ I want to advise FG to adopt Sawah Eco- Technology for Rice Farming in all her rice production locations for high yield, sustainability and ecological friendliness through reduction of fertilizer applications. This technology is a Japanese technology that has been repackaged to suite Nigerian soil for rice cultivation.  If you apply fertilizer at the first instance say about 200kg per hectare in dry season, going to rainy season, you will not need to apply same quantity of fertilizer that you may have initially applied because the system will automatically reduce the fertilizer usage because the system of SERIF technology allows transplanting. It reduces weed invasion and the same land you use this year can be used for same rice production for another 100 years, and this is what makes rice production more sustainable without losing any nutrient of the soil’’

The SERIF national coordinator pointed further that Ogun state has adopted the technology in all its rice locations in the lowland areas of the three senatorial districts, and its impact was very evident adding the technology is better than any other for rice production and sustainability in the country.

Meanwhile, the Ogun State Government has started harvesting her last year  dry season rice farming that SERIF technology was adopted to cultivate at Sawonjo, Yewa North local Government Area according to a statement credited to the Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Adeola Odedina who represented the Governor at the occasion yesterday.

Part of the statement read thus ‘’ Ogun state Ministry of Agriculture flagged off the harvesting of rice cultivated using the SAWAH Eco-Technology for Rice Farming Training/Demonstration site, Ifasa low land Farm Settlement, Sawonjo, Yewa North LGA of Ogun state. The farms were planted during the dry season in November 2020’’

‘’ The SAWAH Eco-Technology for intensive rice farming is an initiative of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, through National Centre for Agricultural Mechanization (NCAM) in collaboration with Ogun state Ministry of Agriculture, to enhance rice productivity among smallholder farmers, through technology driven-intensive rice production and mechanization. The pilot project kicked off in Ogun state, October 2020.

The Governor of the state, Prince Dapo Abiodun reiterated that his administration would continue to accord high premium to agriculture towards ensuring food security pointed that the rice pilot phase will be replicated in all the local government of the state.