Food sufficiency: Nasarawa govt  expresses readiness to partner farmer groups 

Food sufficiency: Nasarawa govt  expresses readiness to partner farmer groups

Patnership

By Oboh Linus

Obi (Nasarawa State), March 13,  2020 (NAN) The Nasarawa State Government has expressed readiness to partner farmer groups towards achieving food sufficiency in the state.

Prof. Allahnana Otaki, the state Commissioner of Agriculture and Water Resources said this during the inauguration of Siloam Rice Mill facility at Rafin Sanyi, Obi Local Government Area, on Friday.

Allahnana, who was represented by Mr Abdullahi Arika, commended the  Farm and Investment Network Cooperative Society Ltd (Farmnet) for establishing Siloam Rice Mill.

He said the facility would help to address the challenges of walking along distance by people of the area to mill rice.

He said the ministry is ready to partner with Farmnet and give it necessary assistance to achieve its objectives, especially when faced with difficulty.

Earlier, Mr Amos Agbo, the Managing Director, Farmnet, said the establishment of the Mill was aim at complementing  government’s effort to ensure food sufficiency and combat hunger.

According to Agbo, Farmnet is acknowledged for consistent performance in commercial rice production, annual farm investment management, small holder cluster farming, contract farming with specialty crops such as rice and sesame among others.

He said that the company was targeting production and processing of 8,000 tons by 2021, that would translate to over N2 billion per annum in gross turn over for the investors cumulatively.

Agbo called on stakeholders to invest in agriculture, giving assurance that increase production and productivity  through efficient resource management would contribute to availability of rice, food and increase alternative income.

In his remarks, Akin Ogidi, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) branch controller, Lafia, encouraged people to take  advantage of Anchor Borrower Scheme to expand their farming activities.

Ogidi said the target of the bank was to make food available and  create employment to increase GDP of the country.

Also, Osuko of Obi, Alhaji Aliyu Damgiwa – Ogiri, represented by Osoho of Olosoho, Dr Abubakar Apeshi commended Farmnet for establishing the rice Mill and called for support to enable it impact more lives.

Mr Emmanuel Alanana, Programme Manager, Nasarawa Agricultural Development Programme (NADP) encouraged farmers to increase production, noting that Nasarawa state has what it take to compete with other states in rice production.

Mrs Joanna Bello, the Chairman, Nasarawa Coalition for Professional and Business Association, while commending farmmet, appealed to CBN to provide funds and inputs at the right time to enable farmers start farming activities early. (NAN)

OLO/OYE/IU

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Edited by Celine-Damilola Oyewole and Isaac Ukpoju