FISON Boss Wants Agric Offices Re-opened

The chairman, Fisheries
Society of Nigeria (FISON), Rivers State Chapter, Dr Awotein George, has called on the Rivers State Government not to abandon agriculture.
George, who spoke to newsmen in Port Harcourt recently, said that all the divisional farms and agriculture offices in the state had been closed down.
He decried the development and warned against the economic and social consequences.
While underscoring the importance of food security to the economic wellbeing of the state, he said food security was part of what has made the United States of America world power.
According to the FISON boss, any nation that could not provide food for its citizens was bound to collapse.
He said agriculture remained the only alternative to crude oil as the nation’s main source of foreign exchange earner.
On the perceived lack of interest among the youths in agriculture, he advised them to have a rethink.
He urged them to embrace agriculture as a business even as he called on them to cultivate cocoa, cassava and rice amongst other crops to enhance their living standard.
Explaining further, he said the youth should also explore and venture into piggery and poultry.
George assured farmers in the state of government’s readiness in providing land, credit facilities and agric inputs to those who are ready to take up farming as a business venture.
The chairman said the government had provided improved free cocoa seedlings to farmers across the state, adding that over the years, the ministry of agriculture had made efforts to sustain high quality cocoa, palm oil and kernel produced in the state to meet international standard.