Counterpart Funding: Edo leads in S/South

BENIN CITY- Edo State tops the list in the South-South in the payment of counterpart funding, just as it has also made a large provision for agriculture in 2012 budget to further strengthen the sector.

This is contrary to the abandonment experienced in all areas of the sector long before the inception of Comrade Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s administration.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Prince M.M. Ogedengbe made the disclosure yesterday while receiving the Assistant Team Leader and members of Rice Value Chain Transformation Agenda in his office.

Also on hand to receive the team were Directors of the Ministry, General and Programme Managers of ADP and Tree Crop units, Staff of Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Rice Farmers, President of Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Dr. Peter Okere and the Executive Director, Agriculture, Dr. Elevbare.

Receiving the team, Prince M.M. Ogedengbe, who appreciated the Federal Government for the transformation agenda and the Minister for carrying the state governors along, emphasised that Edo State had always been a rice producing State owing to ‘the rains throughout the year.

The permanent secretary who said the State was already aware and interested in the transformation agenda, assured the team that the letter from the Minister of Agriculture to the Governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole would be passed to the commissioner for onward delivery to the governor.

While responding to the request of the team to set up a high level of State Rice Transformation team, Prince Ogedemgbe, however, assured them of the inauguration, registration of rice farmers as well as sensitize them on the objectives of the agenda.

Earlier, in their separate remarks, the Assistant Team Leader, Rice Value Chain Transformation Agenda, Dr. Andrew Efisue and the consultant, Mr. Muoneke Anthony, told the permanent secretary that as part of the Federal Government effort to grow agriculture, ensure food security, diversify the economy and generate foreign exchange, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural development has embarked on the development of the agricultural value chains.

According to them, the purpose of their visit was to intimate the governor with the Rice transformation strategy and implantation plan and solicit the commitment of the State Government by setting up a high level State Rice Transformation Implementation team that will be chaired by either the Commissioner for Agriculture or Permanent Secretary and also suggested that membership include the ADP, the River Basin Authority, State Chairmen of RIFAN, Rice Processors Association, Rice marketers Association and Tractor Owners and Operators Association of Nigeria (TOOAN) and the FDA Field Officer in the State.

The Rice Value Chain Transformation Agenda Team, however, solicited the commitment and alignment of the State Government Rice Development Program with the Rice Transformation Agenda, assignment of Agricultural Extension Officers to help with implementation of the rice transformation agenda in the State, provision of logistics such as transport and secretariat for the implementation team and cost sharing, particularly for the rehabilitation of State Irrigation Schemes that can be readily put to rice production.
Highlight of the occasion was the presentation of the governor’s letter to the permanent secretary.