World Food Day, Not A Ritual – Expert

The Director, Livestock
and Veterinary Services, Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture, Dr Allswell Emejuru, has stated that the World Food Day celebration should not be seen as a ritual but a period of stocktaking on the part of farmers in the state.
Emejuru who stated this while speaking to The Tide during the just-concluded World Food Day event in Port Harcourt, explained that the event drew attention to the needs of farmers and the need to have food security in the state.
According to him, at times like this, successes and challenges of year are reviewed and plans for the next year are carried out.
He said it was important for farmers in the state and every institution that has to do with agribusiness and finance to tackle the issues of food availability and security.
On the functions of his department to make livestock farmers in the state feel the impact of the ministry in their activities, he said the department was behind the success of most livestock farmers in the state.
Emejuru who is also the head of department further explain that the department supports farmers with technical and material incentives.
He further said that the encouragement is given to the farmers to produce quality products that are free from residue, chemicals and other harmful substances that are harmful to the human body after consumption on the possibility of some farmers displaying products that they did not produce during such events, Emejuru explained that there was no need for any serious livestock farmer to get involved in such activity.
“You bring what you have and showcase and sell so there is atually no need for that” he said.
According to him, there is no farmer worth his salt that would go to that length because the event is an opportunity to display and showcase one’s products with a view to selling and expanding business frontiers through new and increased contacts.