Delta govt approves N1bn to support dry season farming in 2025 - Arenyeka ~ Truth Reporters

By Andy Emephia

The Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources , Barr Ada Val Arenyeka, has disclosed that Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, has approved #1 billion to support dry season farming and other related activities for farmers in the state.

Along this line, Arenyeka said , Aviara in Isoko South , and Umutu ,in Ukwuani local government areas , have been selected for the first phase of a pilot scheme for dry season farming under a Public Private Partnership ( PPP) model, in collaboration with an agro based company , MEDIAN.

The Agric Commissioner disclosed this while receiving the executive members of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria ( AFAN), Delta State chapter , who paid him a working visit in his office in Asaba on Tuesday 11th March 2025.

According to Commissioner Ada Val Arenyeka , the state government has been actively engaged in far reaching measures towards upscaling food security regime for the benefit of the teeming mass of Deltans.

Arenyeka disclosed that other agricultural belts targeted to benefit from this pilot phase of the dry season support for farmers in the state , include Gbekele near Mosogar in Ethiope West , Mbiri in Ika North East , Olloa Ossissa in Ndokwa East , and Orerokpe , headquarters of Okpe Local government , where clearing has already commenced and is at an appreciable level.

The Agriculture and Natural Resources Commissioner therefore assured Delta AFAN of the state government,  through his ministry,s programmes , that they will be carried along as partners in the onerous task of ensuring adequate food supplies for Deltans.

He equally stressed that on the issue of security and mitigating farmers/ herders clashes , government will deploy security personnel to every PPP location , while ensuring that the local vigilante outfits who know the terrain of the various farm locations are engaged.

Earlier , the State Chairman of AFAN, Sir Richard Asenime said they were in the Commissioner,s office to  collaborate with his ministry , and by extension , the state government, on ways and means the association will work in synergy towards meeting food sufficiency targets.

Sir Asenime who noted that with over 31 commodity groups under it, AFAN has officers in every nook and cranny in the state , that will help the ministry in actualizing it's objectives of food sufficiency in Delta.

The state AFAN Chairman also urged the Commissioner to use his good offices to revisit the security architecture earlier employed to safeguard the farms in the state wherein members of the Miyetti Allah, the security agencies and local vigilante were fully on ground to alert the relevant agencies on any breach of the peace in our farmlands across the state.

Present at the courtesy visit were top management staff of the ministry as well as the Vice Chairman Delta North and Secretary General of AFAN , among other executive committee members