Following the successful resuscitation of Josan Giant Mill, Governor Willie Obiano has Commissioned the Project and laid the foundation stone for Anambra State Water And Irrigation Project (AWIP)

The Governor performed the function at Umumbo in Ayamelum Council Area.

Formerly referred to as Omor Rice mill, Josan Mill used to be the largest rice mill in Nigeria and West Africa, with a former annual capacity of 30,000 metric tonnes.

The Farms and Mills which is on a public private partnership, now has a current expanded annual capacity of 80,000 metric tonnes of paddy rice input and 50,000 metric tonnes of milled rice.

According to Governor Obiano the project lays credence to State Government’s successful agriculture policies to bring in genuine investors into the sector, saying that it will provide employment and development to the people of the area.

The Governor pointed out that the water project will commence this week, to be completed in six months, adding that the irrigation drawn from the Ezu River will service about ten thousand hectares of farm land in the area.

While urging farmers to take advantage of the rare opportunity, Governor Obiano noted that the State rice production capacity had risen from three hundred and fourth five metric tonnes to four hundred and twenty five thousand metric tonnes, as the State is projecting an annual production of five hundred and twenty five metric tonnes, and stressed that the project will strengthen Anambra’s position as a leading rice producer in the Country.

The Commissioner for Agriculture Mechanization, Processing and Export, Mr Afam Mbanefo noted that the mill was built in nineteen eighty seven by the federal government and handed over to the State since two thousand and ten, afterwich it was abandoned, expressing gratitude to the present administration for resuciating the project to be fully functional.

Speaking about the project, the Chairman of Josan Integrated Rice Mills and Farms and Joseph Agro Industries, Chief Oliver Okeke represented, stressed that Anambra State government did not contribute any money to the project, noting that it has one hundred percent local content staff, and said that it will further reduce rice importation thereby increase the foreign exchange earner.

The Chairman of Anambra State Investment Promotion and Protection Agency, Igwe Cyril Enweze emphasized that the project is the largest in the South East, adding that it is part of the grand scheme to position the State to be self sufficient in rice to consume and export as well.

The vision of AWIP is to pump water from the river, create water treatment plants along the water lines of key communities for potable community water and irrigate potentially 10,000 hectares of land, so that there is at least production of 120,000 metric tons of paddies a year.

It is hoped to help create employment, all year round, for over 20,000 farmers and thousands of agro processors, among other advantages.

The Governor was later conducted round the facility and afterwards, laid the foundation stone for the irrigation project.

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