From Osakhare Erese Asaba
In a bid to improve capacities to implement effective policies of programmes and projects for agriculture, the Delta State Government has inaugurated a technical committee for the review of the state agricultural policy.
The State Commissioner for Agriculture, Natural Resources, Austin Chikezie who made this known to journalists in Asaba, disclosed that the present agricultural policy was formulated in 2006, adding that it had overdue for review to meet with the current trend in Agricultural Policy.
Chiekezie said that no meaningful reforms can be achieved in development without proper policies, and strategies in place, adding “there is therefore a need for the review of the state policy on agriculture across the various sub-sectors of crop, fisheries, livestock, agro-allied, and other cross cutting agro-services to create a conducive and enabling environment for agricultural business development to thrive.”
The Commissioner, however, commanded the foundation for Partnership Initiative in the Niger-Delta (PIND), United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Strengthen Advocacy for Civil Engagement (SACE) for collaborating with the state government for the review of the Agricultural Policy, pointing out that the main responsibility of the ministry of Agricultural and Natural Resources was to encourage in farming in order to provide food security, industries, raw material, and create employment in the state and the country in general. According to him, “the current trend in the global economic depression, due to fall in oil price, many nations are turning to agriculture as an alternative means to diversify their economy. It is in the realization of the above that the Delta State Government has as one of its agenda, the reform of the agricultural sector in the driving its SMART Agenda.”
He added: “you have been selected as key stakeholders in the
agricultural sector to contribute, interact, analyze, and identify
strategies to improve the agricultural sector, and develop an
agricultural policy with enabling acceptable laws to regulate it
practice, enhance food security job creation, and sustainable
agricultural development,” he said.
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