By Gabriel Ewepu
ABUJA-THE Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and Synergos, have collaborated to ensure effective implementation of the ‘Green Alternative’ agriculture roadmap.

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, disclosed this in his address at the retreat held for Directors in the Ministry to unlock institutional effectiveness for the new agriculture sector roadmap – the Green Alternative, which Synergos, the partner for the retreat provided resource persons to drive the objectives of the retreat towards implementation of the ‘Green Alternative’.

Ogbeh charged the directors to put in their best and actualise the revenue generating capability of the sector, which could be to the tune of $50 billion annually and added that clear targets must be set for each department in order to promote a culture of accountability.

“Take the matter serious, get to work and do your best to make Nigeria great again,” he said.

The retreat discussed options and provided guidance on the development of a post 2016/pre 2017-2019 strategic framework for the ‘Green Alternative’. The retreat also prioritised in-house findings of key intersections of policy making to enable effective delivery of pre-determined objectives.

Meanwhile, the Minister assured Nigerians, particularly those in the North-East region that there would not be famine in the region, but admitted that the Borno and Yobe states may likely experience a shortage in the supply of food and possible hike in food prices due to insurgency attacks they have suffered resulting from insurgency.

He maintained that neither the devastation in the North-Eastern States nor farmers and herdsmen clashes in Kaduna State will likely to lead to famine and starvation in the country.

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Shehu Ahmed, in his overview of the Ministry and its parastatals, stressed that the overriding purpose of the retreat was to showcase the power and effectiveness of working as a team to drive the ‘Green Alternative’.

He added that the next of such retreat will hold along with parastatals of the Ministry for better synergy, drive, delivery and results.