06/01/2012 (The Nation) - Agriculture is one of the priority sectors for de- velopment in Anambra State. The state has large hectares of arable land suitable for the cultivation of fruits and vegetables. Agriculture provides food and employment for about 80 per cent of the population.

The land is fertile for production of tropical crops, such as yam, cassava, rice, maize and cocoyam. Anambra has high potential for agricultural development. The lfite Ogwari Dam on the Anambra River provides water for 3,500 hectare irrigated land at Ornor for the cultivation of rice, maize, and out of season vegetables.

 Several raw industrial materials and agro-products are located in various parts of the state and they include yam, cassava, rice maize and cocoyam.

The major food processing areas are Aguleri, Anam, Atani, Inoma, Ogbaru, Ufuma and Nzam. Rice, yam, cassava and other staples are produced in commercial quantities in these areas.  Livestock is raised state - wide. Poultry and piggery are the major products. Oil Palm is also grown in the state with its by products palm oil, kernel oil, kernel cake used in the manufacture of margarine and compound cooking fats, soap, cosmetics, crayon and candles. The state has high potential for agricultural development, because of stretches of fertile land.

Forest reserves in the Mamu river basin, Akpaka and AjaliUmeje reserves provide valuable forest products, protect the watersheds and main tain ecological balance, thereby helping to prevent sheet and gully erosion. Services and programmes geared towards increased agricultural production and forestry, including the organisation of farm groups.

The state government believes agribusiness is a key sector in, helping to increase opportunities for people living in rural areas, by helping to create jobs and fuel economic growth. The government is inviting foreign and local investors to invest in the agricultural sub-sector. Investors have the opportunity to get involved in food processing activities.The following investment opportunities have been identified - production and processing of baby vegetables; production of bio-fertilisers, crops such as yam, maize, mangoes, bananas, avocadoes, guava, cashews, oil palm, coconuts, mushrooms, peas, cowpeas, beans, etc. The government is pushing the agricultural sector in this direction through food security strategies that are already bearing fruit. Development of the agribusiness sector is very high on its agenda. It plans to attract further foreign investment in areas such as large-scale farming, animal feed production, cattle breeding and high value added food processing.

The sector offers potential for value adding processing for local and international markets. Several raw industrial materials and agro-products are located in various parts of the state and they include oil palm, maize, rice, yam, cassava, and fish. The government is ready to allocate plots of land to private, local and foreign investors. There are opportunities for livestock and poultry production such as sheep, goat, swine and rabbits, fowls, ducks and turkeys for eggs and white meat.

Investors are needed for poultry and fish (aquaculture) feeds production and for manufacture of, veterinary drugs for the animal industry. Pesticide plants are needed for the manufacture or fabrication of pre- and post-harvest pesticides.

The state is supporting local efforts to help accelerate agric development according to international standards. There is effort to develop modern poultry production and food processing. The present regime has continued support the agricultural sector through innovative agreements with international organisations. Increased productivity and incomes in the rural sector remain central to the efforts. The government wants food production scaled up to feed a growing population.

What is needed is a change of agricultural paradigm. The government is scaling up industrial solutions and adopting agro farming methods as a model of land use and food production. The government is promoting agriculture as a strategy to reduce poverty by creating employment opportunity in rural and semi-urban areas through increasing agribusiness activities. An effort is made to expand activities of rural enterprises engaged in commercial agriculture including production, input supply, marketing, processing, and transportation.

These will generate employment in rural and peri-urban areas, raise the value added of non-traditional crops and commodities, and increase rural incomes. The state ministry of agriculture is working to increase women’s participation in agribusiness development to enable them provide contributions to economic growth.

The overall programme is to support agro-industries and value chains, options include linking small farmers with commercial farmers, exporters or agro-processing firms in long-term relationships, initiatives that improve the capacity of small farmers and small agro-enterprises to participate in chains for high value products, and innovative mechanisms to link public funding with private sector resources.