Food security in Nigeria: The Abia state example
The Abia State government is set to develop agriculture through a Public Private Partnership initiative, that will boost palm oil production and other cash crops, PETER OKORE, in Umuahia, reports... It is often said that a country that cannot feed its citizens is not worthy of being called a nation. The relevance of this saying is important when one considers the quality of life of the people in the rural communities and the high cost of food prices in urban centers in the country. Nigeria’s agricultural production and food security policy is apparently not working, hence the high costs of food stuffs that are beyond the reach of the masses, and the hunger and poverty that afflict over 70 percent of the population which remains impoverished. However, as part of efforts to introduce its own ‘Food policy’, the Abia state government is doing a lot. To this effect, the government has set out, for its-self, the type of crops to grow at different locations, through the state Liberation Farm Scheme. To cap it all, the government has resolved to go back to the glorious days of the late Dr.Michael Okpara, former Premier of former Eastern Region of Nigeria, when agriculture was the mainstay of the economy.Gov 1 Agriculture sustained the economy of the administration of late Okpara. The region had oil palm and Rubber plantations, Cashew, rice, yams and other agricultural produce. It is a known fact that the oil palm industry suffered a severe set-back as a result of the Nigerian civil war. Virtually, all activities in that sector have been grounded. This is why the handing over of the Abia Oil Palm industry to Shanid investors is a very significant and bold move by the state government. For several years, private individuals have been harvesting fruits from these government-owned plantations in Abia state; selling them and appropriating government money. Worried by this development, precisely in April, this year, the Abia state government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), formally handing- over the management of the Abia Palm Plantation at Ohambele in Ukwa-East LGA to a private investor, called Shanid Palm, Limited. For a start, the company has employed 500 locals to work on the plantation. According to the Project manager, Mr. Reginald Okereke, because Abia state has the best soil texture for oil palm growth, Shanid became interested and has also taken over the Ozuitem plantation and the Nbawsi Oil Mill, respectively. He said the company has, so far, put in about N1billion and promised to introduce new technology and machines for the operation of the farm. It will be recalled that the agreement between Abia state government and former investors at the Ohambele Oil Palm Plantation was determined for poor performance and lack of trust. Agriculture sustained the economy of the administration of late Okpara. The region had oil palm and Rubber plantations, Cashew, rice, yams and other agricultural produce. It is a known fact that the oil palm industry suffered a severe set-back as a result of the Nigerian civil war. Virtually, all activities in that sector have been grounded. Sometime last year, history was also made in the Rubber industry ,when the Abia state government, under the Private Public Partnership initiative, entered into agreement with a private investor, IMONIYAME Holdings limited to manage the Abia state Rubber Plantations at Amaeke and Ndi-Oji Abam in Arochukwu local government area of the state. As at now, progress is being recorded there, in terms of employments and revenue generations as well as overall rehabilitation of the Estate and meeting up with the corporate and social responsibilities with the host communities. On the whole, these two developments(at Ohambele and Amaeke-Abam) are examples of promoting greater efficiency in the public sector, in collaboration with the community. And, as Governor Orji put it recently at Ohambele: “It is my resolve to keep doing everything possible to ensure that your (host communities) good intentions for donating your land for the palm plantation project are realised. This government is passionate and very committed to getting it right, this time around, in this new arrangement with Shanid Abia Palm LTD collaboration”. Indeed, with all the stakeholders collaborating to drive a project like the Oil Palm plantation in good faith, there is no reason why the state cannot out-shine the intentions of the investors for the benefit of all Abians. It is only a matter of determination, hard work, teamwork and trust to make it. The state is endowed with the right soil texture to grow a lot of these tropical foods and crops. There are lots of bountiful multiple- gains that abound in the oil palm development in Abia state. As a result of the gains of PPP-initiative in the state, It is expected that the Shanid Group-initiative will certainly generate the desired profits which will, in turn, assist in reducing poverty and empowering people from the catchment areas, through new job creation as well as delivering on other economic and social benefits needeGov 2d by the communities. The Liberation Farm pilot project, kicked-off at Okikpe in Ukwa-West LGA, with many hectares of plantain and cassava cultivation. The gesture will also be reciprocated in all the 17 LGA’s of Abia and each LGA is allowed to grow crops where its soil has comparative advantage. The Liberation Farm scheme now becomes the cardinal pilot project of the state Agricultural Transformation Agenda. According to the Agriculture Commissioner, Chief Ike Onyenweaku, the farms are targeted at creating over 1,000 direct jobs. Under the scheme, 50 youths from each LGA , have already been trained and empowered by government to start their own farms in their localities. As efforts to make agriculture the cardinal point of the economic revival of the state, the Abia state government is also in the process of privatising the state-owned Agbozu, Uzuakoli Cocoa Estate. In support of the Cassava value-chain transformation agenda of the Federal Government, Abia state has queued into the Cassava value-chain Transformation. Not only that, Abia State is also collaborating with the federal government to establish a modern Cassava Processing Plant, which is supported by a 6,000 hectare cassava farm. The state is also discussing with an America-based Industrial Development Group to establish a 120 tonnes per day cassava starch factory, according to the ministry in-charge. Still in the area of collaboration with the Federal Government in the Oil Palm sector, the state is raising 300,000 improved Oil Palm Seedlings to be distributed to private farmers to enable them develop their plantations. Responding on behalf of the Shanid Group, its Administrative Manager, Mr. Brian Downs expressed joy to the state government and host communities for their co-operation in reaching an agreement to hand-over the plantations to the company. He promised that soon, the Plantation would take its rightful place as a major revenue earner for Abia state. He said it gives them opportunity to work with the people and government, and promised that they will help to grow the communities as the company grows also. With that renewed assurance from the new investor, Governor Orji urged the new managers of the Abia Palm to bring in more modern machines for the plantations as well as establish oil mills at Ohambele, in view of the large expanse of the place. His words:”If you do not bring in such modern machines, it will take you time to cover the parcels of land the oil palm covers”. Governor Orji said: “We thought it wise that it is good for us to bring-in people who have the capacity and capability to manage it well for us and for themselves. Employment policy here is that the company will, first of all, recruit people from this locality before going anywhere else”. It therefore behoves on the communities to look after this business and regard it as their,if progress is to be made. All-in-all, it is the thinking of government and well meaning Abians are that when these agricultural projects come to fruition, it is only then that Abia state will bounce back to its glorious days of food sufficiency and agriculturally-driven development economy

Carry go ochendo

Food security guaranteed in Abia