Stop wondering how Anambra State keeps getting it right, below is the ABC of the government's secret in the Agricultural sector.
1. The new safe and secure environment encourages more persons to go into Agriculture
2. Agriculture is the number one of the 4 Pillars of Gov Obiano's economic blue print hence the special attention given to the sector in Anambra
3. Gov Obiano on assumption of office set up a 14-Committee on Agriculture led by Prof Chukwuemeka Omaliko to put together a special blueprint for the agro sector
4. Gov Obiano also set up a Land Acquisition Committee led by Dr Tim Menakaya for easy negotiation with communities to acquire land for large scale farming
5. Precision Agriculture was initiated with Data Bank for Farmers and active Situation Room for progress monitoring and evaluation
6. All farmers associations were coordinated to set up cooperatives as and where necessary
7. Farmers including Rice and Vegetable Farmers are regularly given special trainings on the global trend in agricultural value chain
8. Over N1.5b support fund have been distributed to Small and Medium Scale Enterprises with special focus on farmers especially women and young persons
9. Anambra Small Business Agency provides unlimited access to single-digit interest loans for citizens interested in farming
10. Improved Seedlings and Farm Implements are being distributed to farmers at zero or very subsidized cost
11. Anambra Farmers have been networked for easy access to markets and sources of support
12. Roads leading to agrarian communities are being constructed to facilitate accessibility urban markets
13. Anambra State Investment Promotion and Protection Agency was set up as one stop shop for quality investors
14. Over N1bn investment has been attracted into Agro sector alone in just 3 years
15. Agro investors include: Consharis Farms - Rice; Joseph Agro Limited - Rice; Delfarms Ltd - Integrated Farm project; Novetech Farms - Rice; Eckcel Farms - Tomatoes; Lynden Farms - Integrated Farm project; MIP Farms - Tomatoes and Green House production; Tricity Integrated Farms; Silos and Grains - Malting; amongst others.
16. In 2014, Anambra was producing 80,000 metric tonnes of rice but today, the State produces over 320,000 metric tonnes of rice
17. Anambra Rice is now the Best Rice Brand in Africa as adjudged in Produce Exhibition in Lagos last year
18. Gov Obiano instituted the Agricultural Export Programme with a desk to develop agro allied export market potentials of the State
19. A special arrangement with ABX World Cargo Ltd in partnership with Bosh Produce facilitates the export of agricultural products from Anambra State
20. Ugu (Pumpkin Leaf) and Onugbu (Bitter-leaf) are being exported to the United Kingdom by Anambra farmers
21. There are demands for export of over 1 million tubers of yam to the United States from Anambra State
22. Anambra commenced the "From the Farms to the Factories" initiative, providing critical links between the farmers and the industries which need their products as raw materials
23. Off takers are been energized to buy off agricultural products from indigenous farmers
24. Stine Industries Limited and other millers buy off from rice farmers to produce Anambra Rice
25. SABMiller Breweries is linked to buy off Sorghum from Delfarm/Songhai Farms Limited to brew Hero Beer
26. Tiger Foods are planned to buy off spices from the locaindirectlyacross the State
27. Grand Cereal Ltd is being linked to buy off cassava and maize from the farmers in Anambra
28. Thousands of jobs have been created through Agriculture alone but directly and indirectly
29. Anambra is heading to becoming a leading State in Agriculture and among the top 3 States in Rice Production
30. Other States and the Federal Government are beginning to adopt the Anambra Approach in Agro Sector.
No comments