The Unubi Youth Association in Nnewi South Local Government Area of Anambra has distributed a variety of over 900 seedlings of economic trees to farmers in the community.
The programme, being organised under the “Operation Farm to Feed Campaign”, was launched by the State Government to eradicate hunger.
The Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Forster Ihejiofor, who performed the symbolic distribution, on Friday, in Unubi commended the initiative.
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Ihejiofor, represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mrs Ifeyinwa Uzoka, said that the programme aimed at boosting productivity and improving livelihoods in the community.
He listed the distributed seedlings to the farmers to include bitter kola, guava, soursop, cocoa, breadfruit and orange.
He said that government was committed to expanding the campaign to ensure greater food security and economic sustainability of farmers.
According to him, economic trees hold immense potential to drive economic growth, enhance food security, secure future generations and promote sustainability.
Earlier, the Youth Leader of Unubi Community, Mr Aguiyi Ezeani, described the initiative as grassroots outreach effort aimed at encouraging mass participation in agriculture.
Ezeani described Unubi land as fertile and blessed with every space serving as a garden.
He urged residents to own a garden and join the campaign to beat hunger and food crisis being experienced in the country.
He said that the exercise aligned with the State Government’s agenda to strengthen agriculture.
He also said that the programme was conceived to provide at least three seedlings per household in the community.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Chinonso Udemba, thanked the organisers for extending the seedlings to them, saying that they would be nurtured in order to reap the benefits.
Udemba expressed optimism that the gesture would have greater impact on farmers in the next five years.