Officials of the Abia State Government have visited Edo State to understudy its agriculture initiatives with a view to boost the sector in her state.
The delegation was led by Prof Monica Ironkwe, the Abia State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security. Ironkwe, who met with her Edo State counterpart, Hon Stephen Idehenre said they were in Edo State to learn from its initiatives as well as to collaborate with the host with a view to boosting the sector back home.
The commissioner, who described Edo State as a pace setter in the agricultural sector, noted that they have much to gain from it. According to her, our visit is aimed
at studying and collaborating with Edo State to enhance agricultural production and agribusiness development.
The visit appeared to be very rewarding, as indicated in the testimony of Professor Ironkwe. She said, Our discovery in Edo State was an exciting experience with valuable knowledge and insight gained.” While highlighting the challenges faced in the Agriculture sector in Abia State, she expressed gratitude for the opportunity to gain insights from Edo States experiences.
Dr Cliff Agbaeze Abia State Special Adviser on Agriculture to the Governor, expressed gratitude to the Edo State Government for the collaboration, emphasising its significance in strengthening their approach to investing in the agricultural sector and attracting credible investors to Abia State.
In his remarks, Stephen Idehenre, the Edo State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, who took his guest to the states Agriculture Hub in Benin City, expressed satisfaction with the collaboration, stating that it is a positive step for other states to study and replicate Edo States successful agricultural practices. The Agric Commissioner noted that the state government has done a lot in areas such as oil palm development and other crop and livestock intensification initiatives. He also said that the State has successfully attracted investors in cassava processing, with three companies currently processing cassava for starch and ethanol, amounting to over 2000 metric tons daily.