Yemisi Izuora
President Muhammadu Buhari has commended an Agricultural initiative, the ‘Green River Project’ (GRP) embarked upon by the Nigerian Agip Oil Company Limited (NAOC) and its partners, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Oando, and indigenous oil and gas company.
The initiative has so far covered over 120 rural communities and empowered over 35, 000 farmer.
President Buhari in a special message to the event explained that the company’s GRP programme has become more important “at this time our national life when oil has ceased to become the cash cow of our economy we have no option than to turn to agriculture”.
“Diversification of our economy is no longer something to pay lip service to”, he told farmers from Bayelsa, Delta, Imo and Rivers State during the celebration of this year’s Farmers’ Day organized by NAOC..
Consequently he unfolded the new government’s agricultural development programme aimed at attaining local self-sufficiency in food production and yearly export of 10 million tons of grains and processed food by 2019.
The return of marketing corporations is to serve as the main platform of the government’s programme which is also expected to lead to the development of 740,000 market-oriented young agricultural producers from the teeming population of unemployed youths President Buhari explained in a speech delivered on his behalf by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Arc. Sonny S. T. Echono
Other strategy unveiled by President Muhammad Buhari at an agricultural exhibition – Farmers’ Day, organized by the Nigerian Agip Oil Company Limited (NAOC) include, Establishment of Youth Employment in Agriculture Program (YEAP) which will benefit 20,000 school leavers and rural youth leaders in each State of the federation and develop 18,500 university graduates into young agribusiness entrepreneur called “nagropreneurs”
The strategy will also ensure Agricultural Equipment Hiring Enterprises (AEHEs) which is a private sector led mechanization program that will inject a total of 6,000 units of tractors and implements, 15,000 power tillers, 20,000 planting and postharvest equipment to mechanize an estimated 4 million hectares of land nationwide.
The Italian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Fulvio Rustico in his remark described the Green River Initiative of NAOC as a means to re-enforce a healthy relationship and cooperation between his country and Nigeria.
The Chairman of NAOC, Mr. Ciro Antonio Pagano with his Vice, Massimo Insulla in their respective remarks spoke on the impact of Green River Project in the four stakeholder States of Bayelsa, Delta, Imo and Rivers.
They also spoke about the potential of the Project becoming a pivot for the development of agricultural sector in Nigeria as it will serve as a major platform for knowledge sharing among farmers, academia, public extension services and agro allied industry.