Imo Govt to establish training centre for farmers

Governor Okorocha addressing officials of the Imo ADP at the launching of the yellow root cassava, plantain, banana, tomato and cucumber farms 

The Imo State governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha has disclosed plans by the State government to give necessary support to farmers in the State through the establishment of training centres for them as well as the provision of storage facilities needed to market the farm produce in the State.

Governor Okorocha made this known while launching the yellow root cassava, plantain, banana, tomato and cucumber farms developed by the Imo ADP recently.

Speaking at Obibi Ihiagwa Agro service Centre, Owerri during the official launch of the crops, the governor regretted that agriculture which accounted for over 75% of Nigeria’s foreign exchange earnings in the past years was dumped ignorantly for crude oil which paved the way for poverty in the nation.

According to him, if agriculture is given the pride of place in the country, it has the ability to revamp the economy, bring about the needed development, create job opportunities and secure the future for the generation unborn.

He noted that the ‘Rescue Mission’ Administration has recorded tremendous strides in education, massive infrastructural development and roads construction adding that the provision of food for the masses and youth empowerment necessitated the revamping of the Imo Palm Plantation and the Imo Modern Poultry Avutu.

Speaking further at the occasion, Governor Okorocha maintained that with the establishment of the farm project, the State will experience a turn-around in its economy.

He encouraged the youths not to neglect agriculture but to see it as a business that yields profit and can also establish them as employers of labour.

In his address, the Executive Director, Imo State Agricultural development Programme (ADP) Chief Romanus Onye, said that the tomato demonstration project is aimed at stimulating the production of tomato and other vegetable crops such as lettuce, water melon, and cucumber among others and will promote processing, product diversification, utilization and marketing of the end products of tomato and other food crops.

Chief Romanus Onye who said that the Cherry tomato species occupied about 4.5 hectres of land revealed that the project is replicated in the three zones of the State- Okigwe, Orlu and Owerri, and is running concurrently with other projects of ADP such as Oil Palm, Crops, Livestock, Fisheries and others.

He commended the State Governor for his encouragement and support which led to the success story recorded by the Imo ADC.

Also speaking, the Commissioner for Agriculture Chief Frank Ibezim said that the State is abundantly blessed with fertile land mass and urged the youths and stakeholders to take up the challenge for a better tomorrow.

Earlier, the spokesman of Obibi and Ihiagwa communities Mr. Okere Kelechukwu commended the Governor for his landmark achievements in the State while he called on the government to fulfill its social responsibilities to the Communities.

The occasion witnessed the decoration of Owelle Rochas Okorocha as the Grand Patron of Young Farmers Club and Commander of Agriculture, as well as the demonstrations of indirect youths empowerment by the governor who gave 5 youths and 5 women tomatoes seeds capable of yielding baskets of tomatoes with additional N20,000 each for facilitation.