Agric director reels out FG’s successes in rural development in Edo

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4 years ago

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Mr Wellington Omoragbon, Edo Director of Agriculture, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, on Wednesday, said that the Federal Government had since 2015 to date recorded huge success in agricultural development in Edo.

Omoragbon told newsmen in Benin that the successes were achieved under the Agricultural Promotion Plan (APP) introduced to attain sustainable national food security in the country.

He noted that the APP was designed to reposition agriculture as a vehicle for economic growth and employment creation, explaining that the Federal Government had supplied farm inputs, agrochemicals and seeds to farmers at 50 per cent subsidised rates and sometimes free.

“The Federal Government has remained committed to the training of farmers and extension agents in the state and trained about 40 Edo ADP extension agents to teach farmers in the state modern agricultural best practices.

“More than 150 rice farmers, 30 honey and 40 coconut farmers have also been trained with an emphasis on women and youths,” he said.

According to him, the ministry had also given out five units of agro-processing equipment for oil palm and cassava to farmers in Okogbo village in Orhionmwon Local Government Area for value addition to the production of oil palm and cassava.

“Five tricycles were given to five cooperative society to evacuate their produce to the market from their farms. 25 motorcycles were also distributed to ADP,” he said.

Omoragbon stated that under the rural development, the Federal Government had constructed 30 motorised boreholes, 3,100 solar street lights in Edo communities.

He listed the beneficiary communities across the state to include Unemen, Uhonmora Utagban, Evbiodia, Uromi town, Igara, Iguobazuwa, Ihumudumu, Eme-Ora, Otuo, Ubiaja, Ikoro, Ekenwan, Okogbo and Afuze among others.

He further explained that about 40 rural roads spanning 120km had been constructed and rehabilitated across the state.

He added that the ministry had built a rural modern market in Auch, Etsako West local government area of Edo with water facility and a fish market at illushi in Esan South West and handed over.

“Under animal husbandry, we have built pigpen, distributed fish fingerlings, goats to farmers in collaboration with the state ADP. Two completed units of 20 metric tons of rice processing machine were also distributed to farmers. 10,500 ultimate plus agrochemicals for cocoa farmers are ready for distribution,” he added.

The director of agriculture, however, revealed that the government had built a 2000 metric tons capacity warehouse inside the Irrua silo complex in Esan Central Local Government Area.