In an effort to commercialise coconut production, a community in Rivers state is set to embark on commercial coconut farming for the year 2024.
Specifically speaking at the annual ‘Coconut Festival’, recently held at Asarama-ija, Andoni in Rivers, Mr. Inwon Urang, paramount ruler, Asarama-ija community in Andoni Local Government Area of Rivers said coconut farming is a veritable investment capable of enhancing employment and the local economy.
According to him, the community is working towards making coconut farming a key economic pursuit as it is making efforts towards commercializing coconut production.
“We have acquired a verse piece of land basically for planting of improved species of coconut because we are looking beyond the festival.
“Coconut is an economic tree suitable for our terrain and we hope to develop it. We will start off the plantation with about 2,000 coconut stands in the first phase of the project.
“Currently, the community has about 3,000 coconut trees with a yearly harvest of over 10,000 coconuts which is why we are working on an investment plan along the coconut value chain,” he said.
Coconut and its bi-products are of great economic values, so we look forward to partnering government and private entrepreneurs in that regard.
Mr Atajit Urang, Counsellor representing the ward, commended the leadership of the community for consistency in sponsoring the festival.
The Counsellor noted that the annual celebration had further strengthened peace and united the people and neighboring communities in the area.
Similarly, Mrs Awajis Immanuel, an indigene of the community, expressed satisfaction with the opportunity of cultural displays which the festival offered, adding that it would continue to be a symbol of unity in the area.
