The Federal Government has called on stakeholders in the agriculture to support its Agricultural Transformation Agenda to boost the sector’s perfiormance.

The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development,  Dr Ezekiel Oyemomi,  made the call in Enugu at the 39th regular meeting of the National Council on Agriculture.

Oyemomi explained that the transformation agenda would enhance productivity through the agricultural value chain approach, reforms in the management of input delivery and marketing of agricultural produce.

According to him, the meeting aims at developing implementable action plan toward realising the objectives of the agenda.

Oyeyomi disclosed that government had taken some far reaching policy decisions and urged the stakeholders to work toward the success of the programme.

Earlier in an address of welcome, Prof Martin Anikwe,  the Enugu State Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, described the occasion as apt.

He said that the meeting was taking place at a time when the global food crisis had led to shortfalls in agricultural production, coupled with the rising commodity prices.

“Not only is food getting more expensive, but it is also becoming increasingly expensive to produce. The soaring price of fertiliser is a case in point,’’ Anikwe noted.

He emphasised the need for the country to build capacity to produce more food as the best way of achieving the Agricultural Transformation Agenda.

Our correspondent report that commissioners for agriculture, permanent secretaries, directors and the private sector participants from the 36 states of the federation and the FCT are attending the three-day meeting.