Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, says the new Rivers Vision on Agriculture is aimed at making quality food available and affordable for all families as well as guarantee food security in the State.
Governor Wike made the declaration today while speaking at this year’s World Food Day celebration held at the Isaac Boro Park, Port Harcourt.
The Governor who was represented by his Deputy, Dr. (Mrs.) Ipalibo Harry Banigo said it is for this reason that his administration has undertaken a number of road infrastructure in some rural communities in the State to ensure that food are accessed and transported to the urban centers.
He stated that the giant strides so far recorded in water development and promotion of agriculture is to grow the farms and plantations and generate employment for young farmers in view of its profitability to the society.
Governor Wike opined that his administration would go beyond lip service and rhetorics of another World Food Day, stressing that the Ministry of Agriculture is already making frantic efforts to bring in investors to partner with Government to go into massive agricultural production.
He called on the Business Community, NDDC, Stakeholders and its Partners to join forces with the Government to ensure that the new agricultural vision for the State is realized in the next few years.
”We have a lot of arable land that can be identified for commercial farming but we notice that Nigeria is perhaps the world’s second largest importer of rice and with our waterways, why don’t we look at how we can have sustainable fish production instead of importing so much fish.” the Governor said.
He encouraged real and young farmers to take advantage of the ongoing registration of farmers in the State by the Ministry of Agriculture to be able to access Government agricultural facilities at cheap interest rates as well as the modern technology needed for increased food production “so that they can find agriculture business as one that is sustainable, and one that they will be part of.”
Earlier in her welcome address, the Rivers State Commissioner for Agriculture Mrs. Onimim Jacks said the theme of this year’s celebration “Climate is Changing Food and Agriculture Must Too” is a panacea to the food crisis in the State emphasizing that for this to be realized, there must be the understanding, readiness and willingness on the part of the people to adapt to the climate change variability.
She noted that in pursuance of the Ministry’s vision and objective of creating and promoting a conductive environment for agricultural production and investment to strive, the Ministry has engaged foreign and local investors through public private partnership, with the aim of improving the livelihood of the citizenry.
In his address, the Chairman of the occasion and Vice Chancellor of Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt, Professor Blessing Didia said the people should begin to change their attitude as it relates to the climate, while the young ones should be encouraged to take interest in agriculture as alternative to white collar job that is very scarce.
He called on the State Ministry of Agriculture to take greater action in tackling the challenge of food production in the State by investing more in the sector.
Also speaking, the Chairman House Committee on Agriculture in the Rivers State House of Assembly Hon. Chisom Promise Dike assured that the Assembly would continue to enact the necessary legal framework that will enhance massive food production in the State.