As part of the activities marking World Food Day 2024, the Director General of BRACED Commission, Amb. Joe Keshi, alongside the Commissioners of Agriculture, Permanent Secretaries of Agriculture, agriculture stakeholders from Bayelsa, Rivers, Delta, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, and Edo states have converged on Port Harcourt, Rivers State, to brainstorm on boosting food security in the South-South region.
BRACED is the acronyms for Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Edo and Delta states.
In his opening remarks at a brainstorming meeting held at the Presidential Hotel, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Amb. Keshi expressed gratitude to Governor Siminalayi Fubara for hosting the Commission’s programme, highlighting the collaborative spirit of the attendees.
The BRACED director general said the primary aim of the session was to brainstorm on creating actionable strategies to enhance the agriculture sector within the BRACED states in order to maximise the region’s agricultural potential.
Keshi emphasised that the South-South region possesses significant advantages in both aquatic and crop farming, positioning it as a vital contributor to food security and economic growth in the country.
He noted the potential for agricultural investments to create job opportunities, particularly for the currently unemployed graduates in the region.
The DG urged Commissioners to deliberate on effective means of collaboration among the states to harness the agricultural capabilities of the region.
The meeting fostered a commitment among the involved stakeholders to work collectively towards advancing the agriculture sector, thereby addressing food security challenges and promoting economic development throughout the BRACED states.
In his remarks, the Commissioner of Agriculture in Bayelsa State, Prof. Beke
Tuboukiye Sese, commended the Director General and management of BRACED Commission for organising the summit.
Prof. Sese stated that the meeting came at the right time that Nigerians are yearning for agricultural products to feed the nation.
He said that Bayelsa State Governor Diri had approved several agricultural programmes in order to ensure safe food security for Bayelsans and Nigeria in general.
Prof. Sese also mentioned that the Bayelsa State-owned Niger Delta University (NDU) management met with him in order to collaborate with the Ministry to enhance agricultural development in the state.
He advised other states to look at the areas they could benefit from Bayelsa agricultural programmes so that they could collaborate to bring food on the table of Nigerians.
He said Bayelsa is rich in long-scale coastal line that is why Governor Diri recently appointed a commissioner for Blue Economy in order to harness the marine endowments of the state.
He said training, and retraining the trainer had been ongoing since the inception of Governor Diri’s government, all geared at getting it right.
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Also speaking during the event, the Rivers State Commissioner of Agriculture, Prof. Peter, Medee, said that the Rivers State government under the leadership of Governor Siminalayi Fubara had been proactive in setting up agricultural programmes that would better the lot of people in the state.
For instance, he mentioned that the state government recently funded medium and small-scale entrepreneurs in the state through the state micro-finance bank that might have keyed into agricultural farms.
Nevertheless, he said that agriculture is one of the priorities of Governor Siminalayi’s government and called on sister states to feel free to collaborate with Rivers State in order to bring further agricultural benefits to the people of the state.
Various stakeholders presented papers during the summit on innovative approaches to agricultural business in the states.
Recall that the idea of BRACED Commission was mooted in order to bring all oil and gas rich Southsouth states to collaborate for economic benefits.
The governors of the BRACED Commission states are not left out in this pursuit as they have been meeting to ensure that the Commission is funded to fly economically for the interest of the BRACED states people and Nigeria at large.