Era Of Lip Service To Agric Dev Over – RSG

Rivers State Governor, Barr
Nyesom WIke, has said that the government was poised to go beyond lip service in the area of agricultural development.
The governor who stated this on Monday during the celebration of this year’s World Food Day in Port Harcourt, explained that the government has put a lot of resources into agriculture and agribusiness in the state.
Represented by the Deputy Governor, Mrs Ipalibo Banigo, the governor restated the new Rivers Vision in agriculture to make food available to every family in the state.
She said it was based on this that the government undertook the development of road infrastructure in the various communities.
“And this roads development is aimed at ensuring that food can be accessed from our food basket and the possibility of transportation of food to the places were it will be commercialised.
“Of recent, the Governor- commissioned the Igwuruta Etche road and he has also flagged of the Abua-Degema road.
“All these roads you notice are deep in communities where there is a lot of food production but bringing them out has been a problem,” she said.
Earlier, the Vice Chancellor of the Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST), Port Harcourt, Prof Blessing Didia who chaired the event while declaring the celebration open, explained the effect of climate change in agriculture, said, the climate was not only changing but it has changed.
He said, since the change in climate was a continuous process, the method of planting, harvesting and storing should also be changed.
He noted that climate change has not only affected agriculture and farming but also affected the way pests, birds, insects and animals move and behave.
According to Didia, it was unreasonable for farmers to depend on luck in order to achieve high input in the farms.
“I want to encourage the Ministry of Agriculture that it is not just talk talk, we must stop talking and begin to act,” he said.
In her remarks, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Mrs Onimim Jacks explained that the ministry had the tasks of creating and promoting a conducive environment for agriculture investment and production.
She said the ministry organised statewide agric awareness campaign programmes to mark the World Food Day.
According to the agric boss, the event was aimed at putting all stakeholders in the agric value chain to showcase and educate farmers and the public on agricultural procedures, technology and best practice.
According to her, food and agriculture cannot change except there was a change of attitude by farmers, policy makers, government and technology development in the area of farming technique.
Goodwill messages were delivered by the Chairman, House Committee on Agriculture, Hon Chisom Dike, President, Port Harcourt Chambers of Commerce Industry, Mines and Agriculture (PHCCIMA), Dr Emi Otaji and a representative of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), amongst others.
Prizes of best cassava farmer, best plantain producer and best ruminant farmer went to Lucky Ledogo from Khana, Christiana Amadi, Etche and Charles Promise from Oyigbo in that order.
The theme of this year’s celebration is “The Climate is Changing and Food Agriculture Must Too.”