Delta Assemblymen Task Agric Ministry On Food Security

The Delta House of Assembly Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources has urged the State Ministry of Agriculture to ensure food security in 2022 by focusing on developing the agricultural sector.

The Committee’s Chairman, Mr Austin Chikezie, made the call during the 2022 budget defence by the ministry on Wednesday in Asaba.

He commended the ministry for its planned programmes for 2022 and advised it to focus on crops where the state had comparative advantage.

According to him, Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa’s administration in Deta wants the state to attain food security in 2022.

“You have outlined programmes for the year 2022 and ensure you focus on the areas where the state has comparative advantage,’’ he said.

He also called for more collaboration between the state legislature and the ministry to ensure self sufficiency in food production in the state.

Earlier, the Commissioner in charge of the Ministry, Mr Julius Egbedi, told the committee that the ministry was proposing the sum of N2.04 billion for capital expenditure in 2022.

Egbedi said that the ministry had some major capital projects which it planned to execute in 2022.

“Some of these projects include oil palm small holder scheme and the sum of N100 million is being proposed for this project, while N70 million is projected for the coconut palm development programme.

“For the cassava development programme, which is aimed at boosting cassava production in the state, we are proposing the sum of N200 million for the programme.

“A total of 600 farmers, comprising youths will be trained and empowered through this programme.

“Every part of Delta is endowed with an ecology that supports the cultivation of maize, the ministry intends to promote the cultivation if 250 hectares of maize to boost maize production in the state.

“The ministry also intends to promote ‘Climate Smart Agriculture’ by the support of small holder farmers through the provision of quality inputs to mitigate against losses.

“These inputs include quality seed yams, cassava cuttings, plantain suckers, fish seeds among others. To achieve this, the sum of N60 million is being proposed this project,” he said.

Egbedi also said that aquaculture was one of the major areas that yielded good results, especially in job creation for the youth of Delta.

According to him, more than 5000 youths have been engaged through cooperative societies across the state.

He said that the sum of N100 million was being proposed for the programme to further encourage young entrepreneurs in the fish industry.

On the budget implementation by the ministry in 2021, the Commissioner said that N270 million was released to the ministry out of the approved capital expenditure of N1.2 billion for 2021.

He, however, appealed to the committee for an upward review of the proposed budget of the ministry.