Anambra State Reaffirms Commitment To Support Young Farmers
By Chukwuka Ugokwe,Awka
The State Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Foster Ihejiofor, has reiterated Government commitment towards supporting young farmers for increased food production.
Dr Ihejiofor made the commitment while receiving in audience a delegation from Food Soldiers Co Operative Society, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.
According to him, the present administration is poised to reverse the practice of over dependence on a section of the nation for food supply and consumption.
He explained that his Ministry has been playing a key role in existing various initiatives and programmes that would enhance urban agriculture as well as mainstreaming regenerative system of farming.
“It is in line with the agenda of government to tackle food insecurity and scarcity. That is why we encourage everybody to be a farmer, given our strategic support, a lot could be achieved in urban agriculture”
While challenging youths to get involved in agriculture to fight hunger, he urged the group to upscale their produce and research on how best to develop cultivation of crops for optimal result.
“It is a learning process, if you encounter any challenge, you interrogate it and find solution to it” He added.
The Commissioner used the occasion to draw attention to unwholesome practices by unscrupulous food items dealers who use chemicals to contaminate food items and poison people in the process, noting that government would intervene to protect public health.
Earlier, President of the Society, Stephen Ozoagu, told the Commissioner they launched a campaign to take food items such as cucumber, green pepper, musk melon, Indian melon, golden melon as well as vegetables to every home.
He said they came to explore areas of collaboration with the Ministry to boost production of the tomatoes and vegetables which could be grown, harvested and consumed fresh using a new concept of bucket planting.
While taking turns to appreciate the Ministry, a member of the cooperative society, Chinyere Oforah, shared the challenges being faced by the young Farmers.
She identified funding and lack of training as one of their major challenges, but quickly added that with various futuristic solutions, government would make an impact on its quest to be one of the biggest food producers among states.
