Governor Ifeanyi Okowa recently put smiles on the faces of many farmers in Delta State, when he gave out 40 tractors and N30 million to the different farm-based agricultural cooperatives in the state, writes Omon-Julius Onabu
The New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) has for long harped on the pivotal place of agriculture in growing the economies of respective African countries where a conservative 70 per cent of the population is engaged in agricultural activities, albeit, at generally subsistent levels. Although, the development initiative of the African Union (AU) has often emphasised the importance of capacity building for farmers through well-funded agricultural research and extension programmes as well as regional and international outlets for envisaged capacities and deliverables.
NEPAD has equally placed high premium on enhanced private and public sector collaboration obviously to shore up valuable investment. Empowerment of the small-scale practitioner through adequate financing has also been highlighted in all the success stories emanating from several African countries reviewed by various local and international agricultural research authorities.
It is, perhaps, in recognition of the need to reorder the process for increasing sectoral deliverables and income through improved capacities and efficiency that the Production and Processing Support Programme (PPSP) of the barely four-month-old administration of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa in Delta State, has attracted more than a passing interest among professional analysts as well as local and international observers as an initiative that is a clear departure from several past agricultural programmes in this clime. Not a few appear to be persuaded that Okowa means business with his beyond-oil-economy initiatives and wealth creation interventions.
In this regard, the question on the minds of observers seem to be, would the Okowa administration carry through this exuding determination to radically depart from the politicisation of similar agricultural programmes at the different levels of government? In other words, having apparently chosen to adopt a paradigm shift by "eye-marking" rather than "earmarking" agricultural programmes by partnering only existing farmers, could the Governor summon the political will to go the whole hug?
The governor gave out about 30 tractors and numerous modern farming implements to farmers as well as about N30 million to cooperative societies during the inauguration of the programme.
The foundation for the take-off of the PPSP was apparently consolidated on September 21, 2015 when the Delta State Government signed an agreement with 20 farming-based cooperative groups in Asaba. The deal is for the ownership and management of 45 tractors and their complementary agricultural implements. By the agreement, a benefitting cooperative society is required to pay 40 per cent of the total cost of each tractor and its associated implements, which amounts to N6.2 million. Delta State chief job creation officer, Prof Eric Eboh, explained that the amount would be offset over a four-year period with each of the benefitting cooperative groups required to pay 10 per cent at the commencement of operations to benchmark their respective commitment.
While putting pen to paper on behalf of the Delta State Government, Eboh stressed that the gesture of the Okowa administration was geared towards actualising the vision of allowing farmers to take their destinies in their own hands and explained that the benefitting "cooperatives were painstakingly selected from a pool of 962 farming-based cooperative societies" that initially applied for the support under the state agribusiness empowerment scheme. According to him, the selection process was "very transparent" and that the successful 20 cooperatives were "found capable, credible and fully met the terms of agreement."
The state chief job creation office explained to THISDAY why numerous agricultural cooperative groups that expressed interest failed to meet the basic requirements of running cooperative societies. "This is a wake-up call for those who are promoting cooperatives to go back to the original status of how cooperatives should be run. It is not supposed to be a one-man activity; it is not a sole proprietorship. A cooperative society is made up of 'cooperators', that is the original design. So, you must have people cooperating to have a cooperative society." Nonetheless, the president of one of the benefiting groups, Comrade Jurist Umeri, said that he was satisfied with the terms of agreement and assured that the initiative would particularly encourage youths in the state to venture into agricultural activities.
During the PPSP inauguration on October 7, 2015 in Asaba, the governor gave his administration a tall order by declaring that his ultimate goal was to make Delta State the food basket of the nation, beyond job and wealth creation. He said that he desired to see the state being self-sufficient by feeding the nation. He challenged banks and other financial institutions in Nigeria to help boost the nation's economy by assisting the process of increasing output in agriculture by providing needed funding especially to the small-scale farmers and agric-based organisations. He said that was the panacea to addressing the plethora of problems bedevilling the sector, including poor yields vis-a-vis low income and food insecurity.
"Despite the acknowledgment that agriculture plays a crucial role in driving economic development, inadequate funding has, inexplicably, continued to be recurring decimal as the bulk of our small-scale farmers regrettably do not have access to credit finance and are therefore unable to invest in basic farming inputs such as implements, seedlings and fertilizers.
"Farm yields have remained abysmally low, leading to widespread poverty and stunted economic growth. Our financial institutions must rise up to the challenge of agricultural financing if we are serious about economic diversification and self-reliance. The banking sector must come up with robust credit policies in agriculture that will address credit turnaround time, the recruitment and training of specialist bankers who understand the dynamics of agriculture and agribusiness, especially the fact that they are time and season-bound," Okowa said.
While pointing out that the PPSP was conceived as a means to help overcome the problems of resource scarcity, poor technology and infrastructure deficit, the governor noted that the state was yet to explore the vast potential available to it. "Delta State has not tapped the abundant natural resources, very favourable climatic condition, vast arable land and fertile soil in agribusiness for economic growth, employment creation, import substitution and sustainable development. We will be failing ourselves and the generation coming after us if we are unable to harness the abundant natural resources God has blessed us with and convert it to prosperity for our people."
He then charged the beneficiaries of the PPSP, "Apply yourselves diligently to your business; you must be conscious of the fact that the fortunes of many other people and small-scale businesses are inextricably tied to the success of your respective businesses."
Earlier, Prof Eboh said that the PPSP would facilitate the inputs, equipment, technologies, microcredit and technical assistance to farmers, agro-processors and agricultural value chain operators to increase outputs, productivity and incomes in the true spirit development mantra of the Okowa government, namely "Prosperity for all Deltans."
Eboh, who harped on the creation of a reliable database for farmers as a positive fallout of the initiative, noted, "The impact of PPSP will be on creating jobs and wealth. In addition to the 2,600 direct beneficiaries, the support packages will bring about equivalent number of indirect jobs along the agricultural value chain. Moreover, the public investment will bring an additional 1,000 hectares of arable land into cultivation as well as boost the stocks of fingerlings, poultry and piggery in the state. Overall, the PPSP interventions will, from now through the year-end (December), generate direct and multiplier benefits to the tune of more than N3bn (three billion naira)."
Since taking over the mantle as the state chief executive officer, Governor Okowa has not minced words about his determination to empower a sizable number of citizens in the state through entrepreneurial schemes designed to serve a watershed for job creation. And, in the spirit of diversifying the local economy, his administration has focused on regenerative wealth creation through agricultural production and processing. Accordingly, within one month of coming into office, the governor rolled out a five entrepreneurship schemes targeting at least 6,000 jobs in six months.
Governor Okowa gave insight into the underlying principle and driving force behind what is generally being regarded as a bold initiative to tread the seldom followed path to economic progress divorced from political issue-begging mentality. "While multi-national companies and big corporations get all the public attention and acclaim for their capacity to induce foreign investment capital, MSMEs remain the backbone for economic growth and social development in any society", he noted in his remarks last month during the flag-off of the entrepreneurship training orientation programme at Amukpe, coming on the heels of the Job and Wealth Creation scheme, tagged "OkowaPlus", whose core interests include: Youth Agricultural Entrepreneurs Programme (YAGEP), Skills Training and Entrepreneurship Programme (STEP), Production and Processing Support Programme (PPSP), Development of Agro-Industries and Extension of Microcredit. "Today’s event is undeniable proof that our administration’s S.M.A.R.T. agenda is well and truly on course, because job and wealth creation are the bedrock of the S.M.A.R.T agenda. The entrepreneurship programmes are strategically designed, stringently planned and specifically tailored to tackle the problem of youth unemployment and produce lasting and sustainable prosperity across board.
"While previous programmes sought to prepare people for employment, the Job and Wealth Creation Scheme seeks to produce wealth creators and job creators; critical differences also exist in the selection and screening process, training approach, management system, and collaboration with the organized private sector. This scheme is not your typical empowerment program that is often cash-based; it is a wealth and job creation scheme. It is not about skills acquisition; it is about building a knowledge economy and the overarching goal is to equip participants with the technical know-how, vocational/technical skills, values and resources to become self-employed and employers of labour."
The governor's Communications Manager, Mr. Jackson Ekwugum, says every step Governor Okowa has so far taken in this regard shows "consistency and purposeful focus". Ekwugum told THISDAY that apart from the scores of tractors and numerous related agricultural implements as well as financial aid given out last week under the PPSP, the encouragement given to the authorities of different polytechnics and technical colleges especially in agriculture studies are such pointers. "I'm sure you are also aware of the handsome relief - in cash and kind - given by His Excellency to fish famers in 'Camp 74' whose farms near Asaba were recently ravaged by floods. All this clearly indicates commitment and consistency of the Okowa administration."
The highpoint of the PPSP inauguration included official commissioning of the tractors and various implements by Governor Okowa, the presentation of cheques ranging from two million naira to cooperative societies as well as giving out of tractors and other farm implements to the beneficiaries.
0 comments:
Post a Comment