By GAB EJUWA

Given the voracious attention on crude oil in the Niger Delta as  the mainstay of the  economy, the Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan-led administration has made  concerted efforts  to add agriculture to Delta State economic power.  The state commissioner  for agriculture, Hon.  Misan Ukubeyinje, unveils the state’s  focus on  commercialising rice and cassava production, among others.

Excerpts:

What are your plans to ease  food scarcity in Delta State?

We do not have food scarcity in  Delta  State;  we are only trying to follow the programme of FSP which is in line with  global speculation that food will be scarce, so we are trying to prevent that scenario in our state. This we want to achieve by making Delta State surplus in food and  not only in oil.

How possible is this in a state where most of its lands are affected by  oil spillage?
Recently, we had in a programme on cassava transformation which the minister of agriculture initiated in line with his policy on agriculture to the National Economic Council.

The government has set aside N3.5billion  to pursue this. Also, they  have picked five crops-  sorghum, cotton, cocoa, rice and cassava – for mass cultivation;  of  these five crops,  we can produce three, we want to key-in into it.  Very soon, Delta  will be the food basket of this nation.

For  us  to achieve this, there is  need to look  at  our potentials which is aquaculture and cash crops. So, we are trying to harness the potentials  by  allowing for entrepreneurs and at any level of investment into the state. That is why we have opened our doors in the BPP programmes for persons with good  intentions to come in. Also, we are encouraging our peasant farmers by creating credit schemes for them.

Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan has made agriculture  his major  policy thrust and, by the end of his tenure, Delta should be one of the best states  in agriculture.

With pollution  as a  major challenge facing  oil-producing states, how do you  curb it so  that it doesn’t affect  production?

Our major issue for now is flooding and not pollution. We have lost most of our farms to flooding and the farmers are in pains. Our  ministry of  environment is working towards eradicating it.

On  pollution, ours has not got to the level of  the one in Ogoniland  but we will not wait  for it  before we  act. Directives have been given to the ministry of environment and  the  Directorate of Oil and Gas to look into it. Pollution is one thing that affects the environment and I am sure  those affected will  be assisted by  government.

So, in what ways do  you  intend to put smiles on  the faces of farmers in Delta?

All they need is assistance and my ministry is poised to do that. We will create the infrastructure for them. We  are working towards attending to their needs in clusters, giving them the right mechanisation to achieve maximum production.

What would you highlight as the major achievement  of the ministry at the end of this administration?

Massive production of food in the state. We plan to achieve this by ensuring that farmers operate  in clusters so  that mechanisation can be effective and we  are able to reach them whenever we want to.

Also, we want to ensure  that rice and cassava production go beyond consumption stage into commercialisation because we have the terrain and  potentials.

What would you say happened to timber production in Delta which  it was  noted for?

This happened as a result of deforestation; when we go  into massive re-afforestation, that is when our timber  production will be back to where it used to be.