IJHAF | Tourism and Agro-Processing Industries: A Qualitative Study of Abakaliki Rice Mill

Indexing and Abstracting

Tourism and Agro-Processing Industries: A Qualitative Study of Abakaliki Rice Mill

Emeafor Obinna F. , Pat Uche Okpoko

International Journal of Horticulture, Agriculture and Food science(IJHAF), Vol-2,Issue-2, March - April 2018, Pages 7-14, 10.22161/ijhaf.2.2.2

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Abstract:

The study examined Abakaliki Rice Mill from agro-tourism perspective. Adopting the qualitative posture to gaining knowledge and relying on in-depth interviews and field observation as primary data gathering strategies, it was found that Abakaliki Rice Mill has the capacity to be a viable agro-tourism destination providing tourism activities such as rice processing demonstrations (parboiling, sieving, drying, raking, de-stoning, milling and packaging), the picturesque sights of rice husk pyramids and the beehive of activity ever present. For this to reach fruition, however, there is the need to mitigate certain threats which exist in form of lack of basic tourism infrastructure (electricity, clinic, fire-fighting services, water shortage) together with certain challenges confronting rice production and processing such as inadequate knowledge on soil fertility management, use of herbicides and pesticides, and lack of appropriate rice farming and processing tools. While acknowledging the giant strides being made by Ebonyi State government to place the state among the top echelon of rice producers globally, the study recommends that government should at the same time consider agro- tourism as a complementary part towards diversifying state and rural economies. This is one way of increasing the multi-functionality of agro-processing industries.

Keywords:

Agro-processing Industries, Food Processing, Agro-tourism, Multi-functionality, Abakaliki Rice Mill, Ebonyi State.

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