Ernest Umakhihe, permanent secretary at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture ,has attributed the low farming activities during the dry season in the southern part of the country to the inadequate irrigation facilities in the region.
Umakhihe disclosed this when the Edo State chapter of All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) made him the Grand Patron of the association as well as the Great Achiever award in Benin City.
The permanent secretary, who said all-round-farming activities succeeded in the Northern part of the country because of the adoption of irrigation systems, noted that the opposite was the case in the Southern part of the country.
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According to him, farming can be done all-year-round in the country. All you need is an irrigation facility. In the northern part of the country all year- round-farming takes place but here in the southern the reverse is the case.
“All that is required is water. Here in the South, we have a lot of water bodies, good climatic conditions and fertile arable lands. Once you provide that every crop would do well. So all year round farming will give you all the harvest you need.
Umakhihe, who also made a case for mechanized farming, added that gone are the days when farming activities were only being done with hoe and cutlasses.
He noted that with mechanized farming a lot of jobs can be provided for youths.
“The youths can be encouraged to go into farming activities using mechanized farming by providing tractors and other farm machinery and equipment.
“If machineries are made available with little cost, the youths will be more inclined to go into farming, thereby contributing to tackling the problem of food security in the country”, he said.
He, however, pledged to continuously support farmers in the state to increase food production.
He explained that several agricultural interventionist programmes have been carried out to support farmers in the state.
He listed some of the programmes to include rural road construction, street lighting, empowerment for farmers and youths (especially women and youth farming) among others.
The permanent secretary also called for the upscale of agricultural production in the state, noting that it will help to revolutionize agriculture, create employment, grow the economy, and eradicate poverty.
Earlier, Bako Dogwo, chairman, All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Edo State Chapter, said the association conferred the Grand Patron and Great Achievers Award on the permanent secretary as a result of his contribution to the agricultural development in the country especially in the state.
Dogwo commended the permanent secretary for his exceptional leadership, strong commitment, and dedication to fighting hunger in Nigeria through programs and policy innovations.
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He noted that his efforts have led to increased food production and reduced food importation in the country.
“The Federal Government’s commitment to supporting farmers in Edo State is commendable. The interventions put in place to support farmers and increase food production are necessary steps towards ensuring food security in the country.
“The use of irrigation farming and mechanized farming can help increase food production and empower the youths to take up farming.
“The recognition by the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) is a testament to the permanent secretary’s dedication to the growth of the agricultural sector”,he added.
