Agriculture: Embrace farming as a way to earn a living-Delta Commissioner

Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Hon. Austin Chikezie has advised Deltans, especially youths to embrace farming as a way to earn a living as agriculture is now a profitable business venture that is highly sustainable. 

The Commissioner made this declaration when he received in audience, the executive and members of the Indigenous Correspondent Chapel, ICC of the Nigerian Union of Journalists NUJ, Delta Council, in his office at Asaba the State capital. 

Hon. Chikezie averred that given the numerous policies and programmes put in place by the Governor Ifeanyi Okowa led administration in the State, any serious minded person who key into farming, would reap bountifully in Agriculture. 

He revealed that the State government through Agriculture and Natural Resources has earmarked no fewer than 220,000 oil palm nursery for genuine farmers who want to embark on oil palm planting, even as he also disclosed that under the State Rice Development programme, over 500 rice farmers have already keyed to the programme. 

In addition to the government supply of inputs to the beneficiary farmers, cash loan has also been set aside for them with just one percent repayable plan. 

According to him, Deltans may eat rice produced in the State if on-going plan by the State’s Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources is anything to go by.

Making known to the ICC the strategy of the Ministry of Agriculture in focusing attention on three major agricultural programmes of oil palm production, rice production and aqua-culture, which is fish farming in the State, Chikezie described the programmes as largely successful.

In restructuring the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, he said, “we decided that we don’t need to go into all agriculture programmes. We looked at oil palm and concluded that oil palm is a produce that does very well in Delta State. And since we have a comparative advantage in the produce, the Governor approved our proposal for 220, 000 palm seedlings. And now we are flagging off the oil palm seedling programme. “Oil is gold, but people abandoned it because they say it has a long gestation period and so they go for areas that will fetch quick money.” Many farmers have collected forms for the oil palm programme, the State government is giving inputs and not money. “You must be interested in farming and you must apply for the farmland. We are not giving cash. We give farm inputs for all farm lands. The aim is to ensure that it is only those interested in agriculture get involved. “We sought approval to embark on massive rice production and we have about 2,000 hectares of rice farmlands around the Illah-Ebu axis of the State and in other locations. By December 2017, there is compelling need for us to supply SMART rice. Delta State is at the forefront of rice production,” the Commissioner averred.

To be a rice producer, Chikezie said the person has to apply to the Ministry of agriculture for land, after which the beneficiary will receive farm inputs that includes seedlings, fertilizer among others. “And for every hectare of rice farmland, the farmer is entitled to N10, 000 support funds from the State government that is domiciled with Fidelity bank. As we talk, we have exceeded our initial target of getting 300 rice farmers. We have engaged 500 rice farmers. We have three rice mills to anchor for those producing rice. The mills are in Agbarho, Ugiliama, and Ilah. Those producing rice in the State already have markets for them,” he stated.

On the third area of concentration which the Commissioner described as aqua-culture programme of fish production, he said those participating have gestation period of one year, even as they are given inputs that includes fingerlings and fish feeds. 

He noted that, “for the aqua-culture, participants don’t pay for all the inputs. The ponds are not paid for. We also have fish drying kilns located in selected places so that people can sell their products, this is in addition to putting in place facilities to train youths who are interested in going into fish farming.

We have also built a training centre for the rearing of grass-cutter meat. We have structures for the training at the ADP in Ibusa built on my assuming office under the Okowa administration. We have reactivated the fish laboratory in Warri, which will be of benefits to those in aqua-culture.” He added.

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