Delta Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mr Val Arenyeka on Wednesday urged journalists to engage in farming to bridge hunger gap and ensure food security in the country.
The commissioner gave the charge when the executive and members of the Asaba Correspondents Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists(NUJ) visited him in Asaba.
He said that the state empowerment programme , through the Ministry of Agriculture, would help those who involved in farming.
He said that the only way to address the current food shortage and ensure food security in the country was for everybody, including the journalists, to go into farming.
He said that the state government would extend its empowerment programmes to journalists who were directly involved in smallscale farming in the state.
He said that agriculture had evolved from manual to technology driven, adding that it was the responsibility of Nigerians to feed themselves and not to depend on other countries.
Arenyeka said, “I am happy you said you want to continue to partner with us. We are happy because we need you to get the message to the people.
“On the issue of empowerment, this ministry is ready to empower you but you know that what we do is farming, so I want each of you to have a small farm in your backyards.
“That’s the only way you can get empowered and as Nigerians and Delta citizen, you are entitled to be empowered by this ministry. But you will be empowered if you farm with us.”
He also said that in order to ensure a seamless farming activities across the state, that government has approved the recruitment of additional 70 State Livestock Management Officers (DSLMO).
According to Arenyeka, addressing the issues of criminality and herders/farmers crisis is within the domain of the Federal Government.
“As a state, we have earlier recruited 50 DSLMO and now we are engaging additional 70 officer to monitor farming activities across the 25 local governments of the state.
“But I think those who are involved in the herder/farmers crisis are pure criminal elements pretending to be herders and it is within the domain of the Federal Government to address such challenges.”
He said that his doors were open to journalists while urging them to ensure they crosscheck their information with the ministry for proper balancing of reports before going to the press.
Earlier, the Chairman, Asaba Correspondents Chapel, Ifeanyi Olannye, said the visit was to congratulate the commissioner on his appointment and to strengthen partnership with the ministry.
He urged the commissioner to explore and deploy all resources towards attaining the food security and the jobs creation mandate in line with the Gov. Sheriff Oborevwori’s M.O.R.E Agenda mantra.
Olannye also called on the commissioner to involve journalist in its activities and empowerment programmes, adding that hunger does not respect tribe, gender, language, profession or political parties.(NAN)
