ANAMBRA TODAY: We’ll lift Anambra’s economy with agriculture –Obiano

Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, has assured that his government’s agricul­tural blueprint will trans­form the economy of the state.
Speaking during the flag-off of this year’s farming season of the state in Nteje, Oyi Local Government Area, the governor said he inaugurated a Special Com­mittee on Agriculture a few days after he was sworn in because he believed in the capacity of the sector to create massive job oppor­tunities for the people.
His words: “The impor­tance of agriculture is not just limited to its histori­cal value nor is it limited to its usefulness in provid­ing us the food we eat. All over the world, agriculture is also known as the larg­est employer of labour. In full appreciation of the immense potential of ag­riculture, I inaugurated a Special Committee on Agriculture and charged it to draw up a blueprint for revolutionising agriculture in Anambra State.
“The committee, headed by Prof. Omaliko, has since submitted its report, which is being reviewed for im­plementation.
“Over the next few weeks, we shall roll out specific initiatives arising from the recommendations of the committee. These initiatives include the map­ping out of a land bank for high yielding crops that will give comparative ad­vantage to the state.”
Explaining the theme of this year’s farming season, A New Dawn for Agricul­ture in Anambra State, the governor said he planned to place Anambra among the top three in agriculture in the country, and the first in the production of cassava and fish before the end of his tenure.
Optimistic that local and foreign investors would soon be attracted to the state, Obiano urged the people to cooperate with the government to ensure the success of the agricul­tural programme.
“Ndi Anambra, our ag­ricultural drive can hardly succeed without your sup­port. We must be prepared to make the necessary ad­justments that will encour­age investment inflow into the state. We need the co­operation of all landown­ers in the agricultural belt of the state to ensure the availability of land for the mechanised farming we are planning,” he said.
He urged the people to form cooperative societies to fully benefit from the as­sitance of the government, adding that the state had or­dered 100 tractors to drive the mechanised agriculture regime.
He also said arrange­ments had been made for the supply of seeds, seed­lings and fertiliser for dis­tribution to farmers in the state.