Abia Targets 8,500 Hectares For Rice Cultivation

The Abia State government has targeted 8,500 hectares of land for wet season rice farming at different communities across the state to address food insecurity.

The commissioner for Information, Okey Kanu said this while addressing the media in Umuahia, the capital on the outcome of this week’s executive council meeting chaired by Governor Alex Otti

“For the flag off, there are over 400 genuine and authenticated  rice farmers at Ndi-Okereke Abam, farming on over 500 hectares of land that have been verified,”

Kanu, who said the flag- off event would be done through the state Ministry of Agriculture, noted that “this is mainly in the northern zone of the state”.

“There is also cultivation of rice on an additional 150 hectares of land at Owerrinta in Isiala Ngwa South local government area” the commissioner further said.

“Recall that before now, you were informed that the government through the ministry had commenced planting of rice in that part of the state.”

The commissioner related that the move would be replicated at other state-owned rice farmlands at Bende, Mkpa, Ofeme, Ozuitem, Ndi Okereke and Ndi-Oji Abam.

He further informed that the beneficiaries of the state’s and CSS Farms strategic  agro- collaboration program are progressing very well with their chosen projects.

“So far,over 90 per cent success rate has been recorded by the beneficiaries,” added Kanu, who was accompanied by his Agric Ministry counterpart, Cliff Agbaeze among others.