BENIN CITY: Edo state Governor Mr. Godwin Obaseki said the three day workshop for Agricultural investors in the state is to craft an Agricbusiness ecosystem that will link large capital hub of big corporations with the policies of the government for the benefit of the small scale farmers in other to guarantee food security and economic development.

He said this while delivering a key note address at the three day workshop held in Benin City with the theme: “Harnessing Resources and opportunities to optimize Agribusiness”.

Governor Obaseki said if we are going to be leaders in our region in terms of Agribusiness as we seek to be, we must question old ways of doing things and seek fresh ideas to face our current challenges. “We must continue to encourage small farm holders to improve farming practices and obtain modern technology; we must implement the policy of mechanization and commercialization using technology”.

“Today Edo State is the second largest producer of rubber, second largest producer of oil palm, sixth largest producer of cocoa, ninth largest producer of rice and fifteen largest producer of cassava. Our mission is to become the largest producers of these crops within the next five years”.

Obaseki said to achieve this set goals we must do things differently. “As we seek to achieve this goal, there is no better time to rethink and reposition the economy of our state. The old habit of excessive federal revenue must now give way to a robust private sector driven local economy that is anchor on a solid foundation of Agricbusiness”.

He said subsistent farming of the old must now be replace with modern method as input gear towards meeting market demand and making profit for both the rural farmers and out growers on a large commercial farm.

“The aging farming population must now be replaced with a new breed of innovative young and energetic farmer. Today, we are here for action not lamentation. We are here with those who have the experience and those who are in the sector. We want knowledge driven solution, I am here today not to talk but to act and act decisively”. In doing this the governor said the strategy of the government is to provide land, make it accessible, drive agriculture from top to bottom, attract and partner with those with large capital and commercial farms because they have the capacity, capital and the knowledge to drive the business”.

Chairman of the Strategic Planning Unit of Godwin Obaseki’s led administration Prof. Julius Ihonvbere commended the government of Edo state for the Agricbusiness initiative which he said will increase food production, input to the industrial sector, earn revenue and foreign exchange for the State and to create 200,000 jobs.

He said Agric is one of the core sectors to create these jobs. He said the government has engaged the communities to create a conducive atmosphere for the farmers. He said Edo is prepared to become number one producers of cash crops.

An Agricbusiness Investor, Captain Ohosa Okunbor, express delight in the steps of the present administration in this Agricbusiness initiate saying this is the right way to go utilizing and harnessing our gift in the state to become an envy of other state in the next two years when we will become the economic hub of the nation.

“We have seen a governor that is very passionate of developing Edo State, this is what we have always wished for and this is what we have gotten. He came in a time when we need an economic mind to run the state. We will all join him in moving the state forward. We have seen the drive and we can ask for more, agriculture is the future”.

A participant and agric entrepreneur Guilma Aguele expresses her delight in the step taken so far by Edo State government saying it is a step to take Edo people out of poverty.

I am glad that we have a governor that is driving the process of taking Edo state out of poverty, we are happy to be part of the process”.