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| 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.
