Farmers in Delta State have been urged to appreciate the various agricultural policies and incentives provided by the state government in line with the SMART Agenda, geared towards providing food sufficiency in the state and prosperity for all Deltans.
According to the Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Hon. Austin Chikezie, who made the call yesterday in Asaba as Delta State joined the rest of the world to mark the 2017 World Food Day celebration initiated by the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), the state has adopted certain approaches towards agricultural sustainability, directed towards creating jobs, reduce rural-urban migration, and create wealth for youths through agriculture.
Chikezie said that the state government has provided amenities directed towards providing food sufficiency through the provision of loan facilities to youths and farmers, empowering existing cluster groups and co-operatives and the encouragement of new entrants into agriculture, adding that, 7,900 farmers have been empowered with loans in cash and kind under the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Anchor-Borrowers’ programme to reduce hunger, in line with the SMART Agenda.
He also disclosed that the state government has approved participation in the Accelerated Agricultural Development Scheme (AADS) for the empowerment of youths within the ages of 18-35 in cluster farmlands under the Anchor Borrowers’ programme, with a minimum loan facility of N1.5billion, adding that, 220,000 oil palm seedlings were raised and five mini oil mills have been fabricated under the Oil Palm Development programme.
While declaring the ceremony open, the Governor who was represented by the Chief of Staff, Government House, Hon. Tam Brisibe said that the state is poised towards altering the rural urban drift through investments in food security, through rural development, adding that the consequences of rural urban drift has become a serious global challenge and a threat to agriculture, pointing out that, the state is mitigating against the problems of rural urban drift and provision of food security through the development of rural communities, through rural electrification, rural water supply, opening of the creeks and such other incentives that would attract young people to agriculture in rural areas
He said that the plans are at advanced stages to improve the exportation of agricultural produce from the state, through the exportation of various agricultural commodities to the United Kingdom, adding that, urban migration would be made less attractive, “Continuous migration is not in the best interest of any society, and this explains why we determined to alter the rural urban drift,” he added.
In the areas of aquaculture, Chikezie further said that, over 5,000 fish farmers have been engaged across the state, pointing out that an additional capacity of 50.10 metric tonnes of fish is expected from the two new fish clusters in Ewulu and Mbiri in Aniocha South and Ika North-East Local Government Areas respectively, even as he said that, 95 extension officers have been trained on the dissemination of improved farming and farm management methods under the state Agricultural Development.
He expressed appreciation the Governor of Delta State, Senator (Dr.) Ifeanyi Okowa for supporting the ministry to meet the needs of farmers in its efforts at increasing agricultural production in the state, the commissioner said that several collaborative efforts between the state government and development partners in the agricultural sector, aimed at ensuring the delivery of credits and other inputs to farmers at subsidised rates is in progress.
The event witnessed a large turnout of farmers from all the local governments in the state who displayed their wares, which include cassava, yams, fruits, agro chemicals, rice and other agricultural produce and was inspected.
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