The Rivers State Government says as part of deliberate efforts to ensure Food Security, it is investing in rural infrastructure, improving access to markets, and providing training in sustainable farming practices.
Governor Siminalayi Fubara made this assertion during the Celebration of the 2024 World Food Day, at Rumuodomaya Centre of Excellence, in Port Harcourt on Wednesday 16th October 2024.
Speaking through his Deputy Prof. Ngozi Nma Odu, Governor Fubara said Rivers State is blessed with fertile land and hardworking people, noting that our cassava fields, yam farms and fish ponds are not just economic assets, they are the lifeblood of our culture and the key to our future.
He said this year’s theme “Right to Foods for Better Life and better future” resonates deeply with his Administration’s mission in the State, adding that food is not merely for sustenance, it is a fundamental human right, a cornerstone of health and the foundation upon which we build our lives and communities.
As we look to the future the Governor said “Let us envision a Rivers State where no child goes to bed hungry, where our markets overflow with locally grown produce and where farming is a respected and rewarding profession”.
The State Chief Executive commended the Commissioner for Agriculture for tirelessly working to support our farmers and enhance our food production capacity.
Earlier, the State Commissioner for Agriculture, Engr. Victor Kii, said the annual event aims to draw the attention of both the Government and its citizens to the urgent need to be involved in farming to guarantee food security.
According to him, this year’s celebration reminds us of how we can make food available, accessible, adequate, and sustainable for our people.
He said we are reminded that food is not just a basic necessity, food is health, these is the reason why the State Governor is engineering agricultural revolution by providing facilities for the total overhaul of the Songhai Farm. In his remarks, the Chairman of the occasion and Commissioner for Lands and Survey, Hon. Benibo Anabraba, said climate change and most recently the COVID-19 pandemic as some of the challenges affecting food security, adding that a lot of our people are beginning to lose our indigenous knowledge on farming.
