Rivers State Commissioner for Agriculture, Engr Victor Kii has reiterated the need for farmers to grow more food to avoid food shortage in the future. According to Rebecca Anumaka, Press officer of the ministry, the Commissioner said this at the just concluded meeting of Commissioners of Agriculture in the six BRACED States of Bayelsa , Rivers, Akwa IBOM, Cross River, Edo and Delta held in Port Harcourt.
He stressed that efforts should be made to address the challenges encountered in achieving Agricultural growth such as land preparation and seedlings, he called on the BRACED States for more collaboration in the preparation of green fields.
The Commissioner, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr Maurice Ogolo enumerated some Agricultural programmes instituted by the state Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, which include the formation of the Rivers State Economic Summit, visit to the 45 thousand metric tons of Rivers State cassava plant, the formation of Tax Force on the revitalisation of the Rivers State Songhai initiative, the Rumuodumaya feed Mill, amongst others.
In his speech, Mr. Val Arenyeka, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Delta State, enumerated some of the issues hindering the progress of Agriculture, which include: lack of raw materials, inadequate market for farm produce, and advocated for collaboration within the BRACED States.
Delivering his keynote address, Prof. Chukwu Igwe, a retired Agricultural
Economist Lecturer, Rivers State University, said that to foster development in Agriculture, there is need to improve on existing machineries, improve on relationship with farmers, strengthen existing institutions such as FADAMA Projects and encourage research on Agriculture.
In a brief remark, the Director, Livestock/Veterinary, Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture, Dr Godswill Ukoikpoko said that it is important that professional Agriculturists are put in position to oversee agricultural activities. He appealed to the Commissioners to form union to drive policies of government to get to the grassroot.
Commending the Rivers State Governor for his unflinching efforts at ensuring the growth in Agriculture, Prof. Eustace Iyayi, a member of the livestock Reform and implementation, stated that generating a data infrastructure to monitor rate of yields, strengthening research centers in the institutions of learning will also be a catalyst for bountiful yields in agriculture.
He then urged the BRACED states to collaborate more with developed partners in food and livestock sectors in order to achieve sustainability in Agricultural yields.
Amb. Joe Keshi, the Director General of the BRACED Commission noted that their meeting is a reassurance that the BRACED states are on the verge to achieving greater progress in the Agricultural sector.
He further pointed out that donor agencies will not assist any project except it is a bankable one, he then called on the South South governors to develop the political will to invest in agriculture and also enter into counterpart funding. He revealed that the Nigeria Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) has announced its interest in financing bankable projects within the BRACED States.
The meeting which was held in Port Harcourt had in attendance Commissioners for Agriculture in these states – Rivers, Delta, Edo, Cross River and Bayelsa, Directors in the Ministry of Agriculture and Stakeholders in the Agricultural Sector.