By Nosa Akenzua, Asaba
The Delta state government on Wednesday inaugurated a N35 million, cluster of 10 Green Houses for vegetable farming, a World Bank sponsored project in the state.
Mr, Julius Egbedi, State Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, unveiled the project at Ukala Okpuno in Oshimili North local government area of the state. He said that the project was a subproject of the State for Employment and Expenditure for Result (SEEFOR) and Fadama lll in Ukala Fadama Community Association (FCA), World Bank counterpart sponsored project.
“The project which is a cluster of 10 Green Houses for vegetable farming by Fadama Users Group (FUG) is the first of its kind in Delta. The project is a novel one which will revolutionise agriculture in the state because the use of greenhouses is an approach to agricultural production that will expose the farmers to global best practices.
“It is expected to boost productivity, improve livelihood, incomes of beneficiaries, food sufficiency and the jobs creation drive” of the state government,” he said.
He thanked the donor agencies and charged the people of the community to protect projects and through peaceful coexistence.
Also, Mr Austin Oghoro, permanent secretary in the ministry, disclosed that the project cost a total of N35 million to execute. He said that the greenhouses were expected to support the production of vegetables, adding that the first cycle started with pepper production.
“A total sum of N35 million was expended on the sub project for the provision of the green houses kits comprising assets and inputs, capacity building, 20KVA power generating set, borehole and accessories,” he said.
Oghoro thanked the SEEFOR and Fadama, noting that the achievement was made possible because the state governor paid the counterpart funds to attract the project. “With this project, agricultural development, food security and increased incomes of our rural farmers in line with the development focus of the state will no doubt be achieved in due course,” he said.
The council chairman, Chief Louis Ndukwe, and other community leaders, in their various remarks, thanked the World Bank and the state government for attracting such project to the rural community to boost agriculture and create jobs and incomes for the rural farmers.
Responding on behalf of beneficiaries and the FUG, Mr Anthony Ejiofor, thanked the state governor, SEEFOR and Fadama for the gesture while pledging their commitment to grow the project in the nearest future. He, however, appealed to government to create motorable road to the farm and security to ensure that the project was not vandalized.
“I want to assure that we will replicate the 10 greenhouses in the shortest time,” he said