By Chris Chikelue
Agriculture has been the main occupation of the core African “Nationales”, and as such the practice could be dated back to the stone age when the main practice was subsistence farming which means all for food, feeding, and survival.
The practice gave birth to other forms of Agricultural practice because at some points the farmers produced more than they could eat or survive on. Then the idea of PRESERVATION for tomorrow and another farming season came in.
Various crops and seedlings were produced which ranged from the leguminous, cereals, tubers, vegetables, fruits, and even animal meat and its allied products. At some point, the farmers veered into research, and hybrid crops and animals were birthed.
Nigeria, in the Western part of Africa, benefitted from this evolution, and as time passed on, governments at various levels brought in public enlightenment to educate and instill In the people the practice and profession of food production.
There have been various reforms in agriculture ranging from the production of paddy fields, orange, plantain, and palm plantations to the production of hybrid animals via poultry, goat farming, cattle, and piggery etc.
Anambra State Government in response to this all-encompassing tool of state administration and survival has commenced the distribution of over 670,000 oil palm and coconut seedlings to the people in the state.
The exercise is aimed at empowering Ndi-Anambra and residents.
It is intended that each beneficiary shall get between 3 to 5 seedlings, thus ensuring equitable distribution based on households, kindreds/Umunna, villages, and wards.
It is therefore estimated that a minimum of 140,000 households shall be so empowered in this exercise.
Local Government and Ward Steering Committees constituting Ward Councillors, Ward Chairmen, Women Leaders, Youth Leaders, and village Chairmen in the constituent wards have been established to execute this task of distribution.
The seedlings are being distributed at 2,000 per ward. These have been delivered to the Local Governments where the TC Chairmen received the same.
Thereafter, the seedlings were distributed to the wards; whence the ward steering committees commenced distribution to beneficiaries.
Most importantly, all seedlings are to be accounted for. The details of the beneficiaries must be acquired and provided, and ownership of PVC is compulsory for any would-be beneficiary.
The details shall include:
Full Names; Ward; Village;
Kindred/Umunna; Poll unit code e.g. 04-00-00-000; PVC number; Party card number, if available.
Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo’s agriculture revolution in Anambra State is in full throttle.
Surely, the Solution is here!
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Chikelue writes from the Ministry of Information, Anambra State