The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh is amongst the dignitaries expected to make presentations at the Kogi State’s maiden Agricultural Summit holding in Lokoja from Monday, Nov 20.
Chief Ogbeh is expected to make a presentation on: “It is Agriculture’s Time to Shine” during the summit which theme is: “Agriculture: Investment Opportunities”.
The event which is being organized by the state government through the Agricultural Development Project (ADP) is aimed at bringing together, stakeholders such as investors, farmers, academics and the general public to deliberate on how to harnessed the abundant agricultural opportunities within the state.
Managing Director of Kogi ADP, Mr Oyisi Paul Okatahi said in Lokoja on Friday that the summit, which would be declared open by the Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, would also witnessed the launch of Fair Agric Project (FAP).
According to him, FAP is part of the agricultural initiative of the state government designed to create agricultural villages or settlements where farmers and all those in the value chain would specialize in the production, processing and sales of one crop which would help carve a niche for themselves.
“The deliverables of the summit is to create jobs within the state especially for youths and women; boost income generation and trade balance; bring in local and foreign investment opportunities, open up cluster farming centres across the state and ultimately to create wealth for the teeming population of the state”, he said.
He said the event would also see to the granting of conditional Certificate of Ownership (C of O) to investors to develop Fair Agricultural Project (FAP) villages.
According to him, the summit would also help farmers in the state consolidate on the production of cassava, rice, cashew and also to be leading producers of soyabean and maize, amongst others.
Credit: Daily Trust
