The Ebonyi State house of Assembly Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources has paid an oversight function visit to the Ebonyi State value Chain Development programme to assess ways of improving food production and distribution in the State.
Speaking during the visit, the Chairman of the Committee and member representing Ivo Constituency, Hon. Onyebuchi Ogbadu reiterated that the peaceful co-existence of all clans in the State has led to an Agriculture revolution which has improved food production.
He added that the value Chain Development programme should do more to improve food production in the State by aligning with more agricultural agencies.
Equally speaking, Hon. Arinze Lucas Chukwu representing Ishielu South Constituency and Hon. Godwin Abiri of Izzi West Constituency urged IFAD to furnish the committee with its practical programmes and its levels of implementation adding that if efforts were not geared up towards bridging the high population with food production, there might be food crisis.
Hon. Chikeze Igu representing Ohaozara East said that in as much as Ebonyi State is known for its agricultural practise, a lot needed to be done to improve on its food production while Hon. Stephen Orji Igwe from Edda East Constituency commended the IFAD for the construction of feeder roads in his area.
Responding the State Programme Co-ordinator of Ebonyi State Value Choir Development, Chief Sunday Ituma said IFAD programmes is on ground in 8 local government areas in the State with total direct beneficiaries of 100,000 households, 91,000 producers, 81,000 processors and 1,000 marketers.
He maintained that the programme targets poor rural farmers by giving them farm inputs, infrastructures, rural water supply, markets development, accessible roads which will help in enhancing their production.
Chief Ituma added that 20 Cassava processing centres have been upgraded with modern processing equipments, increased available farmlands for cultivation built a total number of 80.4km access roads constitution of 94 culverts and 20 mm bridges or water supply and the establishment of seed laboratory for the availability of quality seeds.
In a vote of thanks Dr. Patrick Chukwu thanked the House Committee for the visit and promised that the IFAD will maintain a good working relationship with the State House Assembly.