Jonathan releases N26bn for 2015 dry season farming

To further boost the government’s efforts at producing more
food for the nation, President Goodluck Jonathan has
approved the release of another N26 billion towards the 2015
dry season farming programme.
The president noted that for too long Nigeria has depended on
crude oil and neglected agriculture, which has created much
suffering and poverty in the rural communities.
The president who revealed this last week in Abuja at the
AGRIFEST workshop, noted that the progress in agriculture
must continue to move forward.
With respect to cocoa farming, Jonathan said a distribution of
over 45 million seedling of higher yielding cocoa varieties all
free of charge has been made, adding that “cocoa farmers are
not left out as they are also witnessing great boom.”
To further restore the traditional fishing competition and
promote fishing tourism, Jonathan urged the Minister of
Agriculture and Rural Development to provide an annual
financial support for the Argungu Fishing Festival.
“We are providing nine million high yielding oil palm seedlings
for farmers across the South East, South West, South South
and the North Central parts of the country,” said the
president.
Also speaking, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural
Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, commended the president
for his great support for agriculture.
According to him, agriculture has become the new oil for
Nigeria, adding that the president’s Agricultural
Transformation Agenda (ATA) has inspired the youths.
“Billionaires and millionaires will emerge from agriculture. Mr
President, the farmers are solidly behind you, even the
youths,” the minister stated.