Edo state governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki has called on all farmers in
the state to see agriculture as a way of life not as business as
usual.
The governor made the call at the flagging off of FADAMA III 2018
additional farming planting season in Iguomon Community in Ovia North
East Local government Area of the state.
The governor, represented by the state commissioner for Agriculture
and natural resources, Hon Monday Osaigbovo, said the programme was
done in collaboration with the federal government on boosting the
income of farmers through allocation of grants and technical support
on sustainable basis.
According to the state governor, over 200 hectares have been giving to
200 farmers in growing of rice, that means one farmer to 200 hectares
of land to further increase rice production in the state and with the
new seeding supply by the state government through agro-tech which can
produce five tons per hectare instead of the two tons produced before
now and every issues and challenges faced by the farmers have been
taken care of now with the help of an optical when their product is
coming out and there is somebody to buy the product from them.
The state SPC project, coordinator Dr. Edward Izevbigie explain the
importance of the programme as a way of arresting insecurity and
providing employment for the unemployed.
He said FADAMA III project is aimed at giving grants to farmers across
Edo state.
The focus is on rice and cassava farming during the farming period
sponsored by World Bank in collaboration with the federal government.
According to him, there is a paradigm shift in agricultural system of
Edo state. There is a paradigm shift because it is no longer business
as usual now there is a shift in taking agriculture as a way of life,
than taking agriculture as business that has been the focus of the
state government.
The state government is using FADAMA III project as a special way of
driving his Agro-preneur initiative with the assistance and
partnership with SYNGENTA Nigeria Limited who supply seeds that have
over 98 percent germination rate.
The field coordinator Syngenta Nigeria Limited, Odum Emmanuel gave the
assurance that there will be adequate production of rice in Edo state
with the 200 hectares ceded for the growing of rice farm through the
application of agronomy best practices.
The council chairman, Hon Scott Osazee Ogbemudia who was on ground
with the state governor to perform the first symbolic planting,
thanked the governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki for considering his local
government among the councils selected for the programme.