The
agricultural inputs and other valuable materials from the Rice Sustainable
Project have just been handed over by the Taiwan Technical Mission (TTM) to the
Ministry of Agriculture.
We are, therefore, challenging the agriculture officials, especially the regional agriculture authorities in the Central River Region north and south, to take good care of the project facilities and resources.
We are referring to the Agriculture Revolving Fund of about five million dalasi, and the fertilizer Compound NPK 15-15-15:297 bags and Urea 46%:1111bags given by TTM.
The assets in the form of equipment include manufacturing plants, as well as tractors, warehouses, trucks, pick-ups, mixers, excavators, power tillers, threshers, winnowers, and transporting vehicles and motorcycles, among others, should all be properly managed.
While we welcome the handing over of the project resources to the local people by the TTM, we are also very much concern about the sustainability of the materials handed over.
The staff and volunteers of TTM over the years have worked very hard for the phased out rice sustainable project, and as such their efforts should not go in vein.
In order for that not to happened, we believe that those entrusted with the project resources should also make sure that they are sustained.
One thing that is key in the sustainability of the machinery and equipment is to ensure regular maintenance and repairs.
Meanwhile, we though it is good to also commend the TTM for the Agricultural Service Center, which will help the local farmers in many ways.
We hope that the successes registered by Taiwan Technical Mission’s Rice Sustainable Project would be replicated by the new project called the “Upland Rice Consolidation Project”.
