The Honourable Minister, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, SEN. GODSWILL AKPABIO, CON, has reiterated the resolve of the Ministry to key into the Agricultural Revolution in partnership with Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
The Minister, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, ADESOLA OLUSADE he disclosed this during the 2nd collaboration meeting with Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Officials on Agricultural Revolution Initiative in the Niger Delta Region, held recently at the Ministry’s Conference room in Abuja.
Both Officials of the Ministry and CBN resolved to fashion out ways on Agricultural Revolution Initiative for possible take-off of the programme in the region.
He said: “the Ministry will focus on the area of land acquisition, reason being that the Ministry is a core Governmental Agency and can easily relate with the Governors of the nine States to address the issue under the Land Use Act, adding that this issue will be discussed at the next National Council meeting which will be held in Rivers State.
SEN. AKPABIO informed the CBN representatives that the Ministry has two departments that interface with the Communities, the Community Development and Education Department (CDE) and the Economic Empowerment Department (EED), explaining that EED handles issues bothering on agriculture and allied industries while CDE engages with the communities, noting that the Ministry will invite NDDC to share in the cost and vision of the Scheme since both exist as intervention agencies in the region.
He also stressed on the need for the programme to leverage on the greater capacity of the private sector and the resuscitated National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA) in the area of land preparation.
In his remarks, the representative of the CBN Governor, MR. ANTHONY IFECHUKWU said that CBN in 2018 identified four (4) key crops with Comparative advantage in the region.
According to IFECHUKWU “these Crops are Cassava, Rice, Oil Palm and Cocoa, Livestock and Fishery production are also being considered for possible intervention by the Bank” he explained.
Adding that the initiative will be the first of its kind in the region and the take-off of the programme will include;
Land preparation for pilot program in rice production within the region, need to ensure the buy-in of the Governors in the region, ensuring that 18 months is the target to make a difference in the region and the establishment of technical Committee in the area of land acquisition and development, accessibility to farm inputs and funding of the program.
MR. IFECHUKWU also assured participating Farmers of a guaranteed market prize for their produce, explaining that the bank would give a single digit interest loan for 5 years.
He, therefore, advised eligible farmers willing to participate in scheme to procure quality seedlings from reputable companies and plant their crops in clusters, adding that CBN will do Index Insurance for participating farmers.
