THE Delta State Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Ada Val Arenyeka, Esq, has underscored the importance of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Delta chapter, to the sustainability of the Governor Sheriff Oborevwori administration’s drive towards sustained food security.
Arenyeka, also tasked the apex farmers body in Delta, on the urgency to weed out quack portfolio farmers, so that authentic farmers in Delta will benefit from the policies and programmes of the MORE agenda.
In a tersely worded response by the Agriculture and Natural Resources Commissioner, tagged “Who is a farmer”?, Val Arenyeka said the era of portfolio farmers will no longer be tolerated.
The Agriculture and Natural Resources Commissioner, disclosed that as part of food security initiatives by Governor Oborevwori, the sum of #1billion has been approved for the next round of “dry” season farming.
The Agric Commissioner further said that among initiatives by the Oborevwori administration towards engendering food security , his ministry will , in line with concerted efforts towards a sublime arrangement, 500 hectares of agrarian lands, each, across the 25 local government areas, in collaboration with the local governments, have been approved.
Earlier in his address , the Delta State Chapter Chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria, Sir Richard Asenime, congratulated Hon Ada Val Arenyeka , on his appointment as Delta State Agriculture and Natural Resources Commissioner.
The Delta AFAN Chairman told the Agric Commissioner that his body is a non-governmental body that coordinates the activities of farmer associations, cooperative societies and other bodies involved in agriculture and agro allied matters in Nigeria.
The Delta AFAN Chairman ,listed areas of collaboration with the Arenyeka led ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources , to include land preparation, development of cluster farming, reinventing of the Family Support Programme ( FSP), among others.
Present at the historic meeting between the Agric Commissioner and AFAN Delta, were Directors of Fisheries, Veterinary Devices, Livestock , DPRS,ad finance , respectively , and the entire executive of AFAN Delta
