Ebonyi State has launched the one man, one hectare agricultural programme aimed at making the state one of the highest food producers in the country.
Minister of Agriculture Audu Ogbe launched the programme at the Ebonyi Demonstration Farm, Ezillo, by planting palm trees. He blamed past administrations in the country for not diversifying the economy, saying they depended wholly on oil and resorted to massive importation.
“The country imported virtually every item from toothpicks to palm produce but the country doesn’t have money again to import,” he said.
The minister noted that the federal government therefore decided to go into massive production with much emphasis on agriculture.
He said, “The hunger in the land might last for a while but soon, there would be enough food in the country and for exportation.”
He advised the politicians to have a ‘second address’ because political offices can end abruptly and they can farm peacefully when politics ends.
“The government would provide machines to Ebonyi for the harvesting of rice and other farm produce and those to prepare crop nursery before planting,” he said, noting that wrong application of fertilisers can destroy soil nutrients and ultimately cause poor yield of crops.
“The federal government would inaugurate dams in all states of the country in the next two years, to ensure all year farming activities.
He urged the youths to go into farming as a means of lifting themselves from poverty
The state governor David Umahi noted that the state was showing agricultural revolution to make its economy self-sufficient.
“All political office holders in the executive and legislature have farm lands in this demonstration farm as the programme would be the order of the day in the state.”
He noted that all citizens of the state would cultivate at least one hectare because the government does not want any land to lie fallow in the state.
“We want to excel in palm produce sector as we have done in rice production, as we are going to plant the produce at 10 metres of verges of roads in state and federal roads.
Launching the one man, one hectare agricultural policy of the state government and commissioning of agricultural mechinaries and equipments at the Abakaliki township Stadium, the Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh assured that more federal government programmes and policies in agriculture would be implemented in the state.
Ogbeh who was impressed with the state government policies in agriculture added that more agricultural seedlings, machineries and cottage industries would be assigned to the state to boost the present administration’s impact in the area of agriculture.
He charged the people of the state to be part of the agricultural policies of the present administration even as he urged Nigerians not to depend mostly on imported goods but products produced and certified in the country for safety and longevity.
In his remark, Governor David Umahi who expressed the readiness of the present administration to uplift the living standard of Ebonyi people assured the federal government of its continued partnership necessary for the wellbeing of the state.
He said the state government will come up with a policy that will allow Civil servants to work half day on Fridays so as to allow them go and attend to their farms.
“Members of the state Executive council have led by example as they already have started farming. Each member agreed to farm at least 2 hectare,” Umahi added.
The state government also flagged off the distribution of N250,000 each to 3000 unemployed Ebonyi youths for human capital development in the area of agriculture and Empowerment. ENDS
Pic-Minister of Agriculture, Audu Ogbe and Governor David Umahi on one of the tractors procured by the state government for the One man, One hectare programme.
Source: The Nation
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