Anambra State Government will not relent in its effort to continue positioning the state as a model state in agriculture, while establishing it firmly at the top of agricultural production in Nigeria.
This remark was made by Governor Willie Obiano during the launching of the 2017 farming season with the theme, ‘Increasing agricultural productivity through community participation’ at Alex Ekwueme Square, Awka, Anambra State.
Gov Obiano said the theme of the 2017 farming season gives a clear idea of his administration strategic approach to agricultural production in the state.
“I am proud to announce that we are determined to do better than we did in the last planting season. Our resolve to surpass our last performance has been busted by the growing interested in farming across the state.”
Citing increased involvement of youths in farming, Gov Obiano said, “in our dear state for instance, I am proud to note that youth are joining the agricultural sector. Our farmers information management system confirms that out of over 160,000 farmers registered in our data base, 24% of them are youths below the age of 40 years”.
“A review of our performance last year, since we made agriculture our number one economic pillar by my administration, we have continued to push for a significant improvement in our performance every year”.
The governor expressed the need for farmers to be more ambitious this farming season while stating that the sum of about N500,000,000 have been earmarked as a special intervention fund for agro entrepreneurs and operators in the state.
In what he coined the ‘four baby crops’, Gov Obiano outlined the performance in the production of Rice, Maize, Cassava and Vegetable in the outgoing farming season.
“In the past 3 years, Anambra state has become widely known for producing rice. This is because of the priority attention my administration has given to rice production. If I will remind you, in 2014 when we took over, the whole of Anambra was producing 80,000 metric tons of rice. Today, we are doing 320,000 metric tons. This is 20,000 metric tons, more than we are consuming”.
“The consumption estimate of rice for everybody living in Anambra is 320,000 metric tons. Today, from 80,000 metric tons since 2014 we are doing well over 320,000 metric tons and we have a target for 2017. Consequently, we are projecting a yield of 513,000 - 519,000 metric tons in 2017”.
"To achieve this projection, we hope to increase the size of land use in rice cultivation, from 54,274 hectares to 57,650 hectares in 2017".
"Similarly, we have planned to grow more yield in cassava from 1,792,596 metric tons recorded in 2016 to 2,151,123 metric tons in 2017".
"Our maize output is expected to grow from 19,900 metric tons to 28,562 metric tons in 2017".
“At the same time our vegetables production output is expected to grow from 120,000 metric tons in 2016 to 1,447,000 metric tons in 2017. This is because we expect a larger export of the vegetables this year. Anambra State government has invested heavily in cooling vans and storage facilities for perishables and this will make it easier to export vegetables and other commodities”.
"Our bold initiatives in agriculture have created about 1000 direct jobs and 152,000 indirect jobs so far. Our expectations are higher this year, the Lord will grant our wishes this year in Jesus name".
In the same vein, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr Afam Mbanefo, during his opening remark stressed the state government commitment to community base initiatives.
“The focus this year is about engaging the communities and developing it”.
He said the ministry will soon be launching the community development farm for the youths and that the idea is to go into the communities and develop them, utilizing cooperatives within these locations.
The government positioning and provisioning of a safe and enabling environment, according to the commissioner, has given rise to an inward investment valued over $1.4 million.
“For this 2017 farming season we will be doing over 513,000 metric tons of rice, for cassava, over 2,000,000 metric tons, for maize 280,000 metric tons, vegetables about 1,000,000 metric tons.”
Mr Mbanefo commended the visionary governor for making agriculture a major pillar of his administration ahead of all other states in the federation, while calling on interested farmers who have not keyed into the ministry activities to as a matter of urgency visit the ministry to get registered.
The Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh, while speak through his representative Dr Nnamdi Ibezim, South East Regional Director of the ministry, commended Gov Obiano in a special way for consistently placing agriculture in the front burner of his government policies and programmes.
On the governor’s visionary and exemplary leadership, Chief Ogbeh said, “it will be recalled in 2014 when you came on board, the theme of that year farming season launching was ‘a new dawn for agriculture in Anambra State’. Truly your Excellency, you have kept to your word. Today, Anambra is the only state in the country that has agriculture e-library”.
Hon. Uche Okafor, representing Ayamelum constituency, who gave the vote of thanks, assured the governor that Ndi Anambra are solidly behind him and will want nothing more other than to see him return for 2nd tenure.
He also promised that members of the state house of assembly will not relent in their effort to continue supporting and aiding his policies which are for the good interest of ndi Anambra.
The high point of the flag off was the unanimous endorsement of His Excellency, Chief Willie Obiano, for 2nd tenure by the association of Anambra Farmers led by the Chairman, Mr Nnamdi Mefo.
“I have the mandate of the community associations, all the farmers and cooperative societies in Anambra state to unanimously endorse you today to go for 2nd tenure in office, you have done so well”, he said.
He also thanked Gov Obiano for turning the agricultural sector around within 3 years.
A gift from the farmers was afterwards presented to the governor.
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