NEW AGRIC COMM, ODOEMENA, UNVEILS FOUR PILLARS DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

By Chukwuka Ugokwe

The New Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Ben Odoemena, has announced government’s plans to revitalise the agricultural sector through implementation of a strategic framework targeted at stimulating agribusiness.

Odoemena who made this disclosure during a meeting with staffers of the Ministry at its Conference Hall on May 29, said the initiative is expected to significantly transform the state into a leading hub for agribusiness.

He noted that the strategy would focus on four interwoven pillars centered on private sector investment, irrigation led production, competitive agricultural value chains as well as efficiency delivery and investment unit.

“We will mobilize key private sector actors through result oriented public private producer partnerships to drive market led agricultural development across the state”

According to him, government will not work in the context of agriculture as a social support sector, but as a complete agribusiness support sector.

“My vision is to transform the state into an agribusiness, food production, agro processing, and marketing hub of Nigeria.”

He described small holder farmers as key to implementation of the strategy, stressing that they would be supported with pocket security to boost not only their economic sustainability but enhanced productivity.

“Our approach to agriculture will be to strengthen the pocket of the small holder farmer. We are going to give them pocket security. It is only a small holder farmer that has pocket security that will give the society food security.

Underscoring the importance of youth participation in agriculture, he explained that government would also open up business opportunities for them in the sector.

“So for you to attract youths in agriculture, you have to change agriculture into business. Make it attractive and make it rewarding, that is the only way that youths will join you in what you want to do.”

Acknowledging that the state is already a high density state, he emphasized that government was planning ahead of anticipated population surge in the nearest future.

“Anambra State is about 9 million people now, and if we are going to increase to 30 million, how can we as agricultural stakeholders position the state to respond to that 30 million people? You know what it means, they will eat quality food.”

The commissioner affirmed the commitment of the Ministry under his watch to provide the necessary enabling environment and support services required for successful implementation of the four point pillars.

Earlier, the Supervising Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mrs Chinyere Nwabachili, urged staff members to key into the initiative by being more committed to their duties.

She pledged that they would give the new helmsman all the necessary support and cooperation to enable him to succeed in his assignment.

Contributing, the Director of Administration, Mrs Ifenyinwa Onyenwe, expressed optimism that appreciable improvements would be recorded in the sector as outlined by the commissioner.

Present at the meeting were Mr Godwin Akujieze, Programme Manager, Agricultural Development Programme (ADP), Dr Debby Onyefuru, State Programme Coordinator, Value Chain Development Programme, others.