‘Improved agric revenue critical to sustainable economic growth’

Former aide to Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo, Prince Joe Okojie, has said that prioritising and improving agriculture revenue would help to boost sustainable economic growth.
Okojie, the immediate past Special Adviser on Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security in Edo, spoke in Lagos recently, said that the COVID-19 pandemic presented opportunities that would help restore the glory of agriculture as an economic mainstay in the country, especially in Edo State.
The former governor’s aide lauded the proactive steps of Gov. Obaseki toward rejuvenating and improving the agriculture sector of the state.
“Over the years, we abandoned our land just because we have crude and everybody gravitated towards playing in the oil and gas sector and forgot our mainstay in the past before the discovery of crude oil.
“However, COVID-19 has taught us a good lesson that we have to look for alternative sources of income.
“Our primary focus is to draft the youth and women and we are doing a lot in the regard, and we have a programme with IFAD primarily targeted at youth and women.
“We also have Independent Farmers Initiative (IFI) programme that targets youth and women.
He also hinted that the first phase where 51,000 hectares of lands would be cultivated had commenced, while 45,000 hectares had been allocated and the farmers had received their Certificates of Ownership.
Okojie said that by end of February, those investors would start production.