Coscharis Rice Mill: The Epitome of Obiano’s Agricultural Revolution

IKENNA ANIAGBOSO

Coscharis Rice Mill, Igbariam, Anambra East LGA, Anambra State, is the latest and most technologically advanced addition to the array of rice mills sprouting from the fertile agricultural revolution happening in Anambra State, aided by the visionary and proactive government in the state.

The Governor of the State, Chief Willie Obiano, whose visionary leadership and sound economic policies laid the solid foundation for the investments by providing security of lives and properties, October 2, 2019, commissioned the Rice Mill.

The fully automated modular Rice Mill produces 60 tonnes of rice per day and 40,000 tonnes per year. At full capacity, it is expected to produce 180 tonnes per day and 120,000 tonnes per year. The Mill is also expected to create not less than 3,000 jobs and engage the teeming youths of Anambra State across the value chain of rice production. Coscharis Farms adds over 4.69% to food production in Anambra state, contributing to the increase in rice production in the state from 80,000 tonnes in 2014 to 345,280 tonnes.

Speaking at the event, Chief Cosmas Maduka, Chairman and CEO of Coscharis Group, paid glowing tribute to Governor Obiano, describing him as the action Governor who dealt with criminals, created a safe and stable environment that paved way for investors. He described the Governor’s public private partnership initiative as mutually beneficial to the government and the people of Anambra state and the investors.

Although Coscharis Farms was among the first businesses to respond to Gov Obiano’s Akulue-uno call, it has been joined by many others like JOSAN Mills in Umunbo and Ufuma, STINE Industries, Rifan Mill, Wisdom Mill, Udoka Mill, Contro Mill and others, to make Anambra a top rice processing state with a daily output of 849 tonnes of per day or 16, 980 bags of 50kg rice per day.

In the early days of his administration, Governor Obiano’s call for Akulue-uno was answered by many sons of Anambra who, having seen the Governor’s commitment and determination to provide a stable and secure environment in line with the vision of making Anambra State the destination choice for investments returned home to invest in key areas of the economy, especially, agriculture.

Maduka’s journey into farming, like his journey through life was a tortuous struggle against privation that later blossomed into stability. The journey to greatness started about three decades ago when he acquired not less than 3,000 hectares of farming land in Anaku, Ayamelum LGA.

The journey however stalled due to several conditions, stemming from unfavourable government policies, but mostly due to the unstable and insecure environment which discouraged many investors from coming home and those already involved to hesitate to activate existing investments.

According to Chief Maduka, “The years of waiting, though discouraging, afforded me time to study the sector more and articulate my investment plans adequately. I waited patiently through the years when armed robbery, kidnapping and other forms of criminality were rife in Anambra State, praying for a government that will recognise the need for safety and security and demonstrate genuine will to tap the potentials in agricultural development”.

In 2014, Chief Maduka’s prayers were answered as Chief Willie Obiano became the Governor of Anambra State. He declared war on criminals immediately and “in barely three months, drove away armed robbers, kidnappers and charlatans from Anambra state thus creating a safe, stable and enabling environment for business and investment”, Maduka noted.

Gov Obiano also invited illustrious sons of Anambra to a business and investment summit through the Anambra State Investment Promotion and Protection Agency, ANSIPPA. Maduka recalled that he was not yet convinced at the time but he was encouraged by the late Dr. Ikedife, his relation, to attend the summit. It was at that summit that the true actualization of his dreams began.

A simple interaction with Governor Obiano at the summit broke years of barriers and ushered in a fresh breath of hope. The challenges at the community level were resolved in a twinkle of an eye and humongous government bureaucracies disappeared as a new and reinvigorated ANSIPPA and a proactive agriculture ministry provided all necessary support to bring Coscharis Farm and rice mill into reality.

Central Bank Governor, Dr. Godwin Emefiele, lauded Governor Obiano for providing an enabling environment for investors and farmers. He expressed Central Bank’s readiness to support investors with loans to drive investments, especially in agriculture. He said that the apex bank is a major supporter of Coscharis Farms. The bank has provided no less than N7 billion facility to the farm since 2015.

In his remarks, Minister for Agriculture, Alhaji Sabo Nanono, represented by Minister of State for Agriculture, Alhaji Mustapha Baba Shehuri, emphasized the need for more investments in agriculture. According to him, “There’s no better time to invest in Agriculture especially rice production than now as it is in line with Federal Government’s policy to attain self sufficiency in rice production. He advocated for more investments in rice production and other areas of agriculture.

On his part, Governor Obiano recalled that “anyone who has followed our giant strides in Agriculture in the past five years will know that what we have in Anambra State is a revolution… an Agricultural Revolution. We lit the fire of this revolution in May, 2015, at Nteje in Oyi Local Government Area, when I flagged off our first planting season. Since then, we have changed the story of agriculture in Anambra State. We have shown, in a very unforgettable way, that Anambra is not only good in trade and commerce but that we have what it takes to feed Nigeria”.

“Coscharis Farms has played a historic role in my administration’s efforts to turn Anambra into an agricultural state.”