Commentary: Agriculture, Vehicle Of Anambra’s Rural Urbanization

Written By : Peter Nwasike

When Chief Willie Obiano became the Governor of Anambra State in 2014, he understood the socio-economic needs of man for developmental strides. He formulated his economic blue-print, hinged on four pillars of Agriculture, Industrialization, Trade and Commerce, Oil and Gas.

Governor Obiano made Agriculture the Number One Pillar, because of its comprehensive diversification to various aspects of human endeavour. In implementing agriculture, he pursued Public Private Partnership (PPP), and established the Anambra Business Agency (ASBA). Two billion naira was disbursed to individuals and co-operative farmers as soft loans of one digit interest, for investment and expansion of their ventures.

Farmers were supplied with machines, improved seedlings and cassava stems, to engage in mechanized farming. Obiano attracted private sector investments, such as Cosharis Farm at Anaku and Josan Farms at Umumbo, all in Ayamelum Local Government. Similar agricultural ventures were also decentralized in other rural areas of food producing zones. These agricultural enterprises have actualized rural urbanization as recommended by the United Nations. Development amenities are now found there.

During the launch of the 2018 Farming Season at Atani in Ogbaru, Obiano disclosed that over four billion naira were invested in agriculture that year. Record shows that over one hundred thousand farmers were registered. Co-operative Societies were also registered. This helped to co-ordinate them for assistance with capital investments from the Central Bank of Nigeria.

The result is that many farm silos have been built for the farmers, for their production, processing, storage, transportation along tarred roads and marketability to cities. Water boreholes and toilet facilities, to ensure sanitation, were also built. Governor Obiano also diversified into other crops. Thus, while rice production was 400,000 metric tons, cassava was two point one million metric tons, maize was 55,000 metric tons; yam, 70,000 metric tons and vegetables 160,000 metric tons in 2018. Obiano engaged Water engineers from Spain, Europe, to construct irrigation machines for farmers. These machines were installed at Ogboji, Ogbaru, Ifite-Ogwari, Ihiala, Omor, etcetera to ensure all round season farming.

Governor Willie Obiano must be commended for aligning to the postulation of the United Nations in rural urbanization policies, aimed at having enough food to feed the increasing population. No doubt, UN identified two staple food items whose scarcity would precipitate famine. They are Rice and Cassava. And these are the major products Obiano is championing their development in the state.

As local farmers are producing Rice and Cassava in abundance in Anambra, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) observed that the challenges of local farmers was lack of adequate system of planting with improved seedlings and stems, harvesting, processing, storage, packaging, transportation, marketability. Then, they introduced what they called VALUE CHAIN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (VCDP). With this system, farmers who are producers are linked to processors who prepare them to finished goods to be marketed to consumers. Hence, farmers are assured of customers.

Not done yet, IFAD/VCDP equally established Seed and Soil Laboratory Equipment at the Anambra Agriculture Project (ADP) in Awka to enhance the quality of farm produce in Anambra State. Technicians were also trained on how to operate the Seed and Soil Laboratory Equipment, while women were trained on how to process the Rice and Cassava Flour, and use them to bake recipes like snacks, bread and cake for local consumption and export.

Indeed, the Agricultural reputation of Anambra State has attracted national and international recognitions that the African Agricultural Development Bank has included the State to benefit from 500 kilometer of network of roads to be constructed in food producing areas for easy evacuation of food from production sites to marketing cities.

With these numerous achievements, agriculture has really become the vehicle by which Anambra State arrived the destination of rural urbanization, as recommended by the United Nations Organization (UNO).