The Abia State government is negotiating with experts to transform the various palm estates in the state to make them economically viable and create employment.
The deputy governor, Ikechukwu Emetu stated this, yesterday, at a meeting with members of the state chapter of All Farmers Association of Nigeria in Umuahia, the state capital.
He said efforts by the current administration to reposition the agricultural sector of the state has been yielding positive results and improving the internally generated revenue.
According to him, one of the results is the listing of the state among those to benefit from a $22.3 million grant to six cocoa producing states in the country.
He underlined the need for farmers in the state to engage in mechanised farming, adding that the administration will continue to provide them the required support.
Speaking earlier, the chairman of the chapter, Ndudim Ikelua, said their challenges included lack of funds, modern farming implementation and nonparticipation in national agricultural programmes.
He commended the administration for the programmes it has initiated to improve the agricultural sector, assuring of their desire to participate in actualising the programmes.
