Abia State governor, Chief Theodore Orji of has flagged off the N1 billion commercial agricultural empowerment scheme aimed at boosting food production and self sufficiency in the state.
Orji stated that his government is committed to building an economic viable state, adding that the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the federal government in cassava production is to ensure that cassava transformation is fully implemented in the state. The governor further said that the state government has placed priority on the revitalization of agriculture which used to be the mainstay of the country’s economy and restated its commitment to alleviate hunger and poverty among the people through increased food production.
He stressed the need for collaboration among the three tiers of government to increased yield and disclosed that his administration has been paying its counterpart funding to development partners like FADAMA and others. Orji said the loan will go directly to genuine farmers, adding that government has engaged the services of a consultant to ensure the success of the programme. Speaking earlier, the minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina commended the governor for the transformation he has brought to the agricultural sector of the state including the N1 billion commercial agricultural loan to farmers in the state and paying its counterpart funds for agriculture regularly.
He revealed that the federal government is building a cassava processing plant in Abia that would process 72,000 metric tons of cassava annually. “It is regrettable that Nigeria despite its large arable land spends 1.3 trillion naira on food importation and disclosed that the growth enhancement scheme is designed to afford farmers access to farm inputs like fertilizer and improved seedlings at subsidized rates. He also said that the federal government is distributing 25,000 tons of improved cocoa hybrids to farmers in the state,†the minister lamented.