Francis Sadhere
Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND) in partnership with the Nigerian Institute for Oil Palk Research (NIFOR), has once again boosted oil palm production in Nigeria with the introduction of motorized oil palm harvesters.
PIND and NIFOR introduced the motorized oil palm harvesters to farmers, recently, at NIFOR, in Edo State
Speaking on behalf of PIND, the Market Development Project Manager, PIND, Mr. James Elekwachi said that in line with the foundation’s aim of building broad stakeholder support for programs and activities that will contribute to poverty alleviation and the promotion of peace in the Niger Delta, PIND decided to partner with a German Marketing Company, STIHL, to bring the products to Nigeria.
He said over the years, PIND had through research, discovered that there was need for market value change in the oil palm industry and that there also was the need to make the harvesting of oil palm easier for the farmers.
Mr. Elekwachi said its partnership with NIFOR had brought about remarkable value change in oil palm industry, adding that it had come up with the motorized harvesters to make harvesting easier for the farmers and also increase their production capacity.
He said though the technology seems to be new in Nigeria, he urged the farmers to key into the technology, noting that in the long run the farmers will benefit immensely from it.
Also speaking at the occasion, the CEO, NIFOR, Dr Omarefe Asemota while noting that climbers are fast becoming scarce in the oil palm sector, urged the farmers to take advantage of the technology.
Dr. Asemota said with the use of the motorized harvester, concrete deliverable that will impact the oil palm sector will be realized within the shortest period of time.
He said; “This partnership between NIFOR and PIND is bringing to demonstrate to stakeholders in the industry the use of the mechanical harvester. The mechanical harvester is an equipment that has been developed not to replace human beings but to make the job easier. Clearly, as has been shown today, you can see the demonstration at the background, with one worker and one machine the harvesting process is simplified. Not only is it simplified, it is also more efficient.”
The NIFOR Executive officer added that with the motorized harvesters the issue of drudgery in harvesting will become a thing of the past, adding that famers will have more efficient way of harvesting and more profits for farmers.
In his presentation, the German marketer, STIHL, Mr. C. Woenmar, said the product has been tried and tested in Indonesia and that the people there have been benefiting from it immensely.
He encouraged the farmers to embrace the technology, stressing that though the farmers may not be able to know how to use the motorized harvester now, but they will eventually catch up with the technology to benefit themselves.
Mr. Woenmar assured the farmers that they will try and provide training for the farmers so that they will learn how to use the equipment well, adding the equipment was very easy to maintain as it has a very a good gear box system.
Leading the farmers to NIFOR plantation where the equipment was demonstrated to the admiration of the farmers, Mr. Woener who demonstrated how to use the motorized harvester, said once the farmers get used to it they will find it more easier to use.
Some of the farmers who spoke to National Reformer, said though they welcome the new idea, the only problem they have was how to use it efficiently.
The farmers also lamented that in the area of agriculture, they are being marginalized in the South/South by the federal government, just as they pleaded with PIND and NIFOR to help them talk to the federal government and see how they can grow the industry in the region.
One of the farmers, Mr. Andrew Esosa, who spoke to National Reformer had this to say; “We like the new motorized harvester that has just been introduced to us. The only challenge I think we will have for now is how to use it. You see what happened in the demonstration. Because we do not know how to handle the machine, we did not get the desired results. But I think by the time we are trained on how to use this machine I think in the long run we are going to benefit. You know these days it is hard to see climbers. But with this machine one man can do a lot.”
