Victor Ezeja
Anambra State governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has launched an agricultural campaign tagged “farm to feed” with the goal of boosting food production to tackle the menace of hunger.
While performing the campaign flag off at a farm in Amansea, Awka North Local Government Area, Soludo disclosed that a total of 2.2 million palm, coconut and other economic tree seedlings have been distributed to farmers as part of efforts to boost commercial agriculture in the state.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe governor it is said it is part of his administration’s target of distributing 10 million seedlings in the state in the next few years to revive agricultural production, and create a new industrial eco-system and wealth creation in the state.
Speaking on the “Farm-to-feed” initiative, Soludo said it is aimed at reviving the culture of farming to deal with the issue of food security that is behind high prices of food items across Nigeria today.
“It is a simple strategy and partnership deal between government at all levels and citizens, to end hunger, and to ensure massive supply within the next 12 months. It will ensure an end to hunger on a sustainable basis,” Soludo stated.
The Anambra governor encouraged all residents of the state including public servants and those leaving in urban areas to embark on farming, no matter how small, to stem hunger in the country.
READ ALSO: Agro-economy: Anambra Govt To Partner Palm, Coconut Farmers, Says Soludo
He said: “Let’s turn farming, agriculture as a new national pride- Operation Show Your Farm, Operation Show What You Cultivate.
“For urban agriculture, with farming in sacks, get something done. If everyone can produce in a year, just enough of one thing for the family to eat in one day; whether it is vegetables, onions, pepper, potatoes, tomatoes, I can tell you the pressure on food prices in the market will massively drop. If you can’t feed the nation, at least, feed yourself or even your family for just one day, with what you can produce.
“Let us turn every vacant piece of land, even if it is five square meters. Rent a space if you can, but plant something.”
Emphasising the need for the citizens involvement in such agricultural development project, Soludo said: “The government can provide all the incentives, but if there are no citizens or youths that can farm. If there are no grand mothers that can do the farmer, even on their balcony or the back yard, and plant something, then it’ll all come to nought.”
He promised that his government will distribute another one million seedlings next year, expressing optimism that in the next four years, when they start fruiting, the average household with ten of those seedlings will permanently be out of poverty. “New industries to process them and export to send to the rest of the world are already emerging. That’s the revolution that is on,” Soludo stated, urging the people to key into the initiative for food sustainability.
READ ALSO: Nigeria Fails To Pluck Low-hanging Fruits, Imports N300bn Palm Oil In 6 Years
He also said his administration is promoting organic farming which de-emphasizes the use of fertilizer and urged those who can still do without fertilizer to do so, stressing that organic food helps people to live longer and healthy.
He also said the state government will collaborate with communities, local governments, churches, and schools, among others to project the “leave no vacant space” campaign to encourage people to cultivate every vacant space in their vicinity.
He assured public servants that his administration will design a scheme to enable spare some time to farm and reward those with the biggest outputs both in food or animal husbandry production every year.
“Prizes will be given to them. The same thing for the political appointees. Next year, it will be ‘operation show your farm’. I am going to go back to the farm. We will celebrate the farm champions,” the governor stated.
READ ALSO: CBN Donates N100bn Fertilisers To Boost Food Production
He also urged local government chairmen, Presidents-General of town unions, traditional and religious leaders to take the campaign down to their respective places.
Reminding the people about their culture and belief in hard work, the governor said instead of resorting to lamentation about hardship in the country, they should take part in providing solution to the problem of hunger by farming to produce food no matter how small.
He thanked youths of the state for not participating in the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protest not because they are not feeling the pain of hunger and economic hardship but because they chose to explore solutions to the problems in the country.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with seven years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Master's degree in Mass Communication.
