The Abia State Government is set to flag off the wet season rice farming program under its In-Growers scheme to strengthen food Security, across the State.
The State Commissioner for Information, Okey Kanu disclosed this while briefing Newsmen at Government House on outcome of this week’s Executive Council Meeting Chaired by Governor Alex Otti.
Kanu said the program which would be flagged off next week is aimed at increasing local rice production and empowering farmers across the State.
The Commissioner said the State Government has extended the deadline for the submission of Expression of Interest on its recovered plantations to May 15, 2025 in order to allow serious investors participate in the exercise.
Addressing concerns on the alleged diversion of Agricultural support funds for farmers, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Cliff Agbaeze, disclosed that the Ministry has initiated a statewide enumeration process to collect data on real farmers.
He emphasized that only genuine Farmers with actual farms, identified and geomapped with precise coordinates, will qualify for the State Government interventions.