The Honourable Commissioner for Agriculture & Rural Development, Dr. Offiong Offor has advised the executives and entire members of Nigerian Women for Agricultural Progressive & Development Initiative (NWAPDI) to heed Governor Umo Eno’s call and embrace practical agriculture as such a decisive step would enhance agricultural production in the State.
Offor, who handed down the advice in Uyo during the official inauguration of the Akwa Ibom State Chapter of the Nigerian Women for Agricultural Progressive & Development Initiative, said the State has several commodity groups and Associations under different umbrellas and added that NWAPDI is a new one set up to complement Government’s effort in making Akwa Ibom State, food sufficient.
She hinted that, the Ministry through the instrumentality of the Governor has distributed inputs and assets, to all categories of farmers, which has also trickled down to Public Schools, to re-awaken the interest of students in practical agriculture..
”Cultivate veggies behind your backyard, and discontinue with the habit of buying every food item from the market, in order to save the income for other contending needs of the family,” the Commissioner stressed.
While emphasizing that, the reality facing us today as a nation and world over, requires that we cultivate food to feed ourselves, Dr. Offor said awakening the consciousness of women and the populace in the practice of agriculture is on the increase.
The academic don commended the Governor for his commitment in the development of the rural areas, as evident in the construction of Model Schools, Primary Health Centres, compassionate homes among other facilities to enhance rural development
“I am glad at the turnout of women at the event, but I want this dream to come to fruition through your commitment to agricultural production.Governor Eno is passionately in support of increasing food production; hence the State government will continue to support different categories of farmers.
The Commissioner disclosed that a technical team from the Ministry is on ground to support the activities of NWAPDI, like the Ministry is doing for other groups, to ensure the women cultivate food crops snd raise livestock for a bumper harvest.
In her welcome remarks, the State Coordinator, NWAPDI, Mrs. Philomena Ntuen noted that the group is an organization conceived at the national level, exclusively for women involved in the agricultural sector and to attract support for women across the country.
Ntuen revealed that the objectives of the group include; developing the required skills to thrive in agriculture, partnerships with organizations, building strong relationships with policy makers to create an enabling environment for agric-entrepreneurship, among other goals.
She appreciated the Governor for assisting farmers in different value chains, but however solicited for support to NWAPDI, as it commences operation in the State.
In their separate remarks, the State Secretary of NWAPDI, Elder Uyai Francis,, Pastor (Mrs.) Matina Umanah, Akwa Obonganwan Patience Ukpa,, Mrs. Ekaette Akpan lauded the initiative and encouraged women across the State to key into it, for improvement of livelihoods.
They assured the Commissioner of their zeal to increase food production, and appealed to the State government to support NWAPDI to produce more food for the teeming population.
