The Delta State House of Assembly Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources has urged the state ministry of Agriculture to ensure food security in 2022 by focusing on boosting the agricultural sector of the state.
Chairman of the Committee, Hon Austin Chikezie made the call during the 2022 budget defence meeting with the ministry officials at the State Assembly Complex in Asaba.
Hon Chikezie while commending the minitry for it’s outlined programmes for 2022, advised it to focus on crops where the state has comparative advantage, adding that the Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa’s administration want the state to attain food security in 2022
The Lawmaker also called for more collaboration between the state legislature and the ministry, saying that the committee is committed to ensuring that Delta is sufficient in terms of food production.
Earlier, the Commissioner in charge of the Ministry, Chief Julius Egbedi told the committee that the ministry was proposing the sum of N2.04 billion for capital expenditure in the year 2022.
Chief Egbedi said the ministry had some major capital projects which it intended to embark upon in 2022, listing some of the projects to include; oil palm small holder scheme, coconut palm development and cassava development programs.
He disclosed that a total of 600 farmers comprising of youths will be trained and empowered through the various programs.
Chief Egbedi said more than 5000 youths have been engaged through cooperative societies across the state and in order to further encourage young fish entrepreneurs, the sum of N100 million is being proposed for the programme.
On the budget implementation of the ministry for 2021, the Commissioner said the sum of N270 million was released out of the approved capital expenditure of 1.2 billion for the year.
He however appealed to the committee for upward review of the proposed budget of the ministry.