Ogun Advocates Sustainable Policies to Boost Agric

Participants at the ongoing 40th National Council on Agriculture and Rural Development in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital have been charged to come up with policies capable of impacting positively on the agricultural sector.

The state Commissioner for Agriculture, Mrs. Ronke Sokefun, who gave the charge while welcoming them, explained that this would enhance the activities and works of concerned stakeholders in the sector.

The commissioner also added that such policies would have positive bearings on the country's efforts to achieve the poverty alleviation component of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Sokefun explained that in Ogun State, government places a high premium on agricultural development as it believes that the agricultural sector remained central to its aspiration on food security and industrialization.

"The commitment of this administration to rebuilding the economy of the state through agriculture is on the understanding that agriculture is the only sustainable source of livelihood. The commitment is expressed in the third cardinal programme of our state government;

Increased agricultural production and industrialisation with a view to ensuring food security," Sokefun stated. She said this step of the state government was in line with that of the federal government's agricultural transformation initiatives to reposition the nation's economy and stimulate real growth towards achieving the Vision 20: 20:20 and the MDGs.

In her address, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mrs. Ibukun Odusote disclosed that the meeting is expected to develop implementation action plans toward actualising agricultural transformation agenda and realising government's short, medium and long term food security goals.

Odusote implored the meeting to discuss all presentations and memoranda to be presented objectively and develop reliable working documents for the council's consideration and approval for implementation.

The national council meeting has in attendance top policy makers in the agricultural sector, including commissioners permanent secretaries and Directors of Agriculture from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.