The Governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has presented cheques worth N48 million to 30 community associations in the state as part of the FADAMA III project.

Also, the government has engaged some Vietnamese farmers in rice production to return the state to its glorious years of self-sustenance in rice production. The beneficiary communities are made up of 145 FADAMA user groups.

While presenting the cheques to the beneficiaries, the governor said the State Government is working towards attracting more funds from the World Bank for disbursement to more farmers.

According to him, FADAMA III project is in line with Government’s focus which is to develop agriculture as a renewable tool for job creation and wealth creation “The challenge we face today is that many young people don’t want to remain in the farm many people want to migrate to the urban areas,” he said.

The Governor disclosed that the state had also distributed over 7,000 metric tonnes of fertilizer to farmers. He noted that the government decided to engage the Vietnamese farmers to cultivate rice in the state, as part of its efforts to refocus on agriculture saying the nation must return to the idea of producing food rather than only consuming.

South South coordinator of FADAMA III, Mr. Isaiah Foby, expressed gratitude to the Governor for the support given to FADAMA by paying its counterpart fund and also distributing N1 billion to farmers  earlier in the year. He said FADAMA is ready to partner with the government to ensure the success of the programme in the state.

One of the beneficiaries, Rev. H.O. Ogierebo who moved the vote of thanks said he and other farmers are happy with the government’s gesture as this would be the second time it would be happening in the life of this administration. He lamented that past governments did not meet the needs of the farmers by giving them loans and assured the governor that the farmers would use the loan judiciously and that all farmers would stand behind him for the 2012 election.