By Ezumezu Nonyelum
The Anambra State Government says it has made food production a key strategy in its efforts to address hunger under the administration of Governor Chukwuma Soludo.
As part of the initiative, the government launched the “Operation Farm to Feed” programme alongside a broader agricultural revolution aimed at increasing local food production. The programme encourages communities, households and young people to cultivate available fallow land to boost food supply and reduce dependence on federal palliatives.
Local Government Areas across the state have begun implementing the policy. On June 26, Awka North Local Government Area flagged off farming activities along newly constructed roads, reaffirming the importance of agriculture in achieving sustainable food security.
The Soludo administration has focused on the cultivation of crops and livestock in which the state has comparative advantage, including cassava, rice, maize, yam, vegetables, poultry, fish and oil palm.
During the 2024 New Yam Festival, Governor Soludo pledged increased support for yam farmers, reiterating his administration’s commitment to tackling hunger through agricultural development. As part of efforts to promote long-term income generation, the government also distributed palm oil and coconut seedlings to households across the state.
The Ministry of Agriculture has further supported farmers with subsidised fertilisers, improved seedlings and herbicides, while tractors and other mechanisation equipment have been deployed to Local Government Areas to reduce production costs. In addition, the “One Community, One Product” initiative encourages communities to specialise in crops best suited to their local environment.
To improve market access, the government has rehabilitated farm-to-market roads and constructed rural access routes linking farming communities to major markets, including Eke Awka. Cold storage facilities and solar-powered boreholes have also been introduced in agrarian communities to support dry-season farming, particularly vegetable cultivation.
Alongside its long-term agricultural programmes, the government implemented short-term relief measures to cushion the effects of economic hardship. According to the government, more than 300,000 households across the state’s 326 wards benefited from rice distribution following the removal of the fuel subsidy.
Transport operators, including tricycle and minibus operators, also received a 20 per cent reduction in internally generated revenue (IGR) payments to help reduce food transportation costs.
The state government said data from the Ministry of Agriculture indicates steady growth in the production of cassava, rice, poultry and fish since 2022, adding that the interventions form part of its long-term strategy to strengthen food security and build a resilient agricultural economy.
Ezumezu Nonyelum is of the Ministry of Information and Value Reformation, Anambra State
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