FOOD SECURITY: ABSG TO FLAG OFF WET SEASON RICE FARMING TARGETS 8,500 HECTARES OF LAND ACROSS COMMUNITIES

By Ogbonnaya Ikokwu On Apr 29, 2025

In a strategic move to boost the food Security agenda of the state government, the Abia State Government (ABSG) will soon flag-off the Wet Season Rice Farming Programme through its In-Growers Scheme in the state.

This decision was taken at the State Executive Council meeting held on Monday, and presided over by Governor Alex Otti.

Addressing the press in Government House Umuahia after the meeting, the Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu said that the flag- off event would be done through the state Ministry of Agriculture. He explained that,

“Under this initiative, the Ministry will be aggregating farmers cooperatives across different crop value chains and will commence with rice in a target of 8,500 hectares of land at different communities in the rice belts of the state. This is mainly in Abia North zone of the state.

“For this flag off, there are over 400 genuine and authenticated rice farmers at Ndi-Okereke Abam, farming on over 500 hectares of land that have been verified.

“There is also cultivation of rice on an additional 150 hectares of land at Owerinta. Recall that before now, you were informed that the State government through the Ministry of Agriculture had commenced planting of rice in that part of the state,” Prince Kanu stated.

Prince Kanu maintained that the move would be replicated at other state-owned rice farmlands at Bende, Mkpa, Ofeme, Ozuitem, Ndi Okereke and Ndi-Oji Abam.
He further noted that the beneficiaries of the Abia State and CSS Farms strategic agro- collaboration program are progressing very well with their chosen projects.So far,over 90 percent success rate has been recorded by the beneficiaries.

The Commissioner informed that the deadline on the invitation for expression of interest on the state’s recovered plantations has been extended to the 15th of May 2025 to give more investors the opportunity to participate in the exercise.

He said that there was a need for more entries to ensure a more robust evaluation process to bring in new and more credible investors and managers on board, adding that there is a need for the State to migrate forward.

“There is a need for the state to move forward. Hitherto, there was a practice where it was an all-comers affair. Now they are going out for seasoned and very serious investors that will invest in these agricultural assets of the state,” Prince Kanu stated.

The Commissioner for Petroleum, Professor Joel Ogbonna, his Agriculture counterpart, Dr. Cliff Agbaeze, Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity Mr. Ferdinand Ekeoma and Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Ukoha Njoku Ukoha were present at the Briefing.

DIVINE NWANKWO
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GOVERNMENT HOUSE UMUAHIA.
28 – 04 – 2025.