Ebonyi State Government, in partnership with the government of Thailand, trained 100 farmers drawn from the 13 local governments in the state on rice and livestock production.
Nkechinyere Iyioku, Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, disclosed this earlier in the week during a brief chat with journalists in Abakiliki.
“Since we came on board, we have been distributing a lot of agricultural inputs to help our farmers, and we give them free of charge”, she stated
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The commissioner maintained that the initiative is part of Governor Nwifuru’s strategy to establish food security in the state and revamp its agricultural sector. She stated that the recent drop in the cost of food prices in the market is a direct effect of such policies, and more of it should be encouraged.
The cost of rice, for instance, which sold for ₦35,000 to ₦40,000 during the last December period, now goes for between ₦22,000 and ₦25,000,” she said.
“Even if you go to the North, the price of food in Ebonyi is still better. In Abakaliki, it is much more affordable. I stand to be corrected,” she added.
What to Know
- Thailand’s rice production in 2024-25 is forecast at 20.1 million tonnes, a 0.5% increase from 2023-24, driven by favorable water supplies and climate-smart farming.
- As the world’s second-largest rice exporter, Thailand faces challenges from climate change and competition, with exports projected at 9.2 million tonnes.
- Ebonyi State is the largest producer of food in the southeast region, and the Ebonyi government is looking to capitalize on that.
