In what appears to be the first major onslaught against hunger, Abia State Executive Council has approved the establishment of a CSS-type large-scale integrated farming structure.
To this end, the government, according to the Commissioner for Information Prince Okey Kanu, has commenced aerial mapping of land space, to ascertain the extent and the use to which to put them.
The Commissioner said that pursuant to the programme objective government has completed the first phase supervision exercise of the CSS – farm trained farmers in which the State government sponsored 302 youths to Nasarawa State last year and empowered them to replicate what they learnt in the State.
“Now, we are bringing that to the State, and when that is in place here it will not only boost the food production capacity of the state government but also offer a training ground for our teeming youths to go into agriculture and agro business,” Prince Kanu said.
He further noted that the success rate of the first phase of the exercise is over 80% and that the beneficiaries who made judicious use of the funds and met the criteria to train at least three new farmers, and are able to repay the interest-free loans, would be encouraged.
Prince Kanu noted however, that about 26 of the beneficiaries who did not make themselves available for access or supervision, and as such, could not adequately account for the funds given them would face serious sanction.
He also announced that the State Ministry of Agriculture input support to farmers would be rolled out in the next couple of weeks.
The Commissioner added that the input distribution would be based on the Ministry’s database put together during the farmers enumeration exercise to ensure credibility and that those who are real farmers get the them.
Kanu said the aerial image mapping by the Ministry of Lands and Housing would cover Abia’s 4,795.74 square kilometres space, including a radar and 2D line mapping of Aba and Umuahia, measuring about 2,220 square kilometres, for efficient service delivery.
Contributing, the Commissioner for Lands and Housing, Mr. Chaka Chukwumerije, explained that the mapping of the land space is not only to strengthen the efficient delivery of services of the government but also to identify where government would carry out projects.
