President, Nigerian-Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NVCCI), Mr Oye Akinsemoyin has disclosed that the Vietnamese government is to partner four states in Nigeria to develop their agricultural potential.

Akinsemoyin, who disclosed this yesterday in an interview with newsmen in Lagos, added that the purpose of the partnership was to improve food production.

According to him, the states are Abia, Ebonyi, Osun and Imo.

“NVCCI is presently fine-tuning agreements with governments of Abia, Ebonyi, Osun and Imo states, on how best to increase their food production.

“NVCCI is looking at the possibility of sourcing technical know-how from Vietnamese farmers, for Nigerian farmers. “It is an interventionist programme aimed at boosting food production in these states, “ he said.

Akinsemoyin said that the initiative was also to encourage private participation in local farming, through knowledge transfer from Vietnamese farmers.

He said that the organisation had concluded arrangements to differently lead the government delegations to Vietnam, to enable them have first hand information on the private system of farming. He said that when fully operational, it would create “a veritable platform“ for the governments to establish farm settlements.

The President said that the initiative would assist in reducing youth unemployment in the states, as many would be engaged in agro processing jobs.

Akinsemoyin advised other state governments to emulate this and desist from paying lip service to issues of food insecurity and unemployment. He said that it was imperative for the governments, to create the right environment for private sector participation in their agricultural development programmes. “NVCCI strongly believes that this is an initiative that any development-oriented government should embrace to achieve its food security and employment generation drive, “ he said.