By Ihechinyere Chigemeri-Uwom
Umuahia – Chief Dunlop Okoro, Abia Chairman, All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), has said that policy somersault by successive governments is the bane of agricultural revolution in the country.
Okoro made the observation in Umuahia on Monday at an event organised by the state Ministry of Agriculture to commemorate the 2017 World Food Day.
The theme of this year’s celebration is “Change the future of migration; invest in food security and rural development’.
The chairman said that every administration that came into office usually changed policies trailing the sector “in the name of improving it.”
“These changes in policies do not sustain what is already on ground. I wish there will be policy succession making any incoming minister to continue with the existing policies that are useful.
“Most of the policies have established farms and projects that continue to require sustained government attention,” he said.
Earlier, Mrs Uzoamaka Ikonne, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, said that if resources were fairly utilised and maximized, there would be enough food in the country.
Ikonne described the theme of the celebration as apt because there was a strong link between food security, rural development and migration.
She said that it would take concerted efforts of stakeholders to control rural-urban drift, achieve food security and rural development in the country.
In his remarks, Mr Theophilus Ugboaja, the Chairman of Abia House of Assembly Committee on Agriculture, stressed the need to embark on massive rural development to ensure a viral agricultural sector.
Ugboaja disclosed that the house was determined to ensure there was food security in the state by making laws that would guarantee sustainable agricultural development.
In his address, the Governor of the state, Okezie Ikpeazu, said that suggestions given by stakeholders on how to guarantee food security in the state would be transmitted into action.
Okezie, who was represented by Mr Uzo Azubuike, revealed that the state government had resolved to boost job and wealth creation in the state through agricultural and rural development programmes. (NAN)