By Ozioruva Aliu, Benin City

The Edo  State government, yesterday, launched the new planting season with the flagging off of Foare mushroom production centre.

It assured farmers in the state that the government has put in place necessary machineries to provide adequate security to reduce incidence of farmers-herdsmen clashes that had hampered farming activities in the state and incentives to encourage more interests in agriculture.

Speaking at the event, which had farmers and other stakeholders in attendance, Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Stephen Idehenre, also revealed that the administration of Governor Godwin Obaseki had attracted investments valued at $531.2 million from nine firms to the oil palm sector alone through the Edo State Oil Palm Programme.

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He said the programme was created to bring opportunities to large, medium and small investors in the oil palm sub-sector with the goal of de-risking investments in agriculture and commended Obaseki for prioritising agriculture in his programmes for the state.

He said: “As a ministry, permit me to appreciate Governor Obaseki for giving agriculture priority by enlisting it as one of the major sectors in the economic renaissance policy thrust of the MEGA agenda. We shall also remain committed to ensuring the goal of this strategic action plan is achieved.

“The state is making steady progress in the agriculture that will make the sector one of the major economic pillars for job and wealth creation. We are attracting enough values to justify the decision to make the sector one of the pillars of the state MEGA agenda.

“So, far we have attracted investments valued at $531.2 million from nine firms to the oil palm sector alone via the Edo State Oil Palm Programme.”

He said the state government’s commitment to agriculture ensured the selection of 23 rice farmers from Agbede cluster, who were also presented cheques for posting profits in their rice grain production enterprise in 2021.

Vanguard News Nigeria