Nigeran Government Directs Anambra Ministry Of Agriculture To Submit Data Of Farmers

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has directed the Anambra State Ministry of Agriculture to submit data of all the farmers affected by the recent flooding in State.

The State Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Foster Ihejiofor, said this while declaring open, a three-day training of extension agents on extension tools, methodologies and selected agricultural value chains, at the Agricultural Development Programme office, ADP, in Awka the state capital.

The training, which took place simultaneously across the thirty-six states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, is organized by the department of Agricultural Extension, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in collaboration with National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services, NAERLS.

Commissioner Ihejiofor, who spoke through the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mr. Samuel Ike stated that the list was submitted as requested to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on the 11th of October.

While encouraging farmers not to loose hope because of the havoc wrecked by the ongoing flood, Dr. Ihejiofor assured the farmers of the state government’s readiness to assist them back on their feet when the flood recedes.

In his address, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar frowned at the decline of the fortunes of the Agricultural Extension System due to decreased funding, policy changes, reduced manpower and lack of interest of young people in agricultural entrepreneurship. He said this has affected food production and exposed the country to the dangers of unemployment, youth restiveness and economic instability.

Emmanuel Ukoh