Delta Govt Empowers Farmers To Boost Agriculture

In line with Delta State efforts to improve the status of farmers through empowerment and provision of farm inputs, the Delta State Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources through the Tree Crop Unit has embarked on training of 700 farmers on the best practices in oil palm production.

Speaking during the flag off ceremony, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Hon.Julius Egbedi disclosed that the State Government was committed to empowering farmers to ensure that the State took lead in oil palm production.

Hon. Egbedi said that all farmers that attended the workshop were the ones they have empowered in the past, adding that the training was to educate oil palm farmers on the best ways to maintain and control their farms for greater yield.

The commissioner noted that the workshop took place in the farm, to show the farmers practical ways of managing their farms, and enable them retain the memories of what they learnt, stressing that it was expected that at the end of the day farmers would go home with new experiences.

He said that oil palm production improves the economy of the Federal, State and the Individual farmer, saying that a palm tree does not have any waste, while it is one of the tree crops that has financial value and stand the taste of time.

According to Hon. Egbedi “Nigeria used to be the highest producer of oil palm but today we are importing the bye products, and the nation has the climatic condition that oil palm requires to flourish”,, stressing that Delta State Government is putting every resources and attention to be the lead in oil palm production, “the CBN is motivating states by granting funds to enhance its production.”

While fielding questions from newsmen, the General Manager, Tree Crop Unit, Mr Ernest Otunko disclosed that the Unit has assisted 1,930 farmers across the State, adding that they looked at the list of farmers that were empowered with seedlings, collar guard and fertilizer in the previous years to be qualified for the training.

He said that they help farmers to owe plantation considering the high capital intensive it was, adding that the state government decided to assist the farmers to own plantation by giving them all the necessary inputs and loan package which they would pay back after five years at harvest.

Mr Otunko said that the unit was enumerating their farms to curtail farmers who do not make use of inputs allocated to their farms as some of them were observed selling their inputs, stressing that they enforced those who do not plant to pay back the loans as soon as possible.

He said that the ministry had engaged the farmers and by next years the oil palm production would increase in the State, because, “in 2016 we gave about 250 hectares to plant seedlings, in 2017 we gave about 700 hectares for planting, in 2018 we gave farmers 2300 hectares to farm and when they begin to harvest the output would be encouraging.”

Meanwhile, the Facilitator, Mr Laju Eda said that they were in partnership with the State Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources to train the farmers on the basic steps that the farmers would take to get a better yield, adding that they taught them what a palm circle was and it’s important in palm production.

He disclosed that they enlighten farmers to know the best management practices on how to have increase in productivity, adding that when farmers followed up with what they have learnt, they would get a better yield at the end of time.