The government of Enugu State has claimed to have taken proactive and tried-and-true steps to protect farmers and increase food security in the state.
In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Enugu, this was revealed by Patrick Ubru, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Agro Industrialization.
The Commissioner stated that the Agro-Rangers Squad was formed through a partnership between the government and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). The squad is meant to supplement other ground security units and will do its utmost to safeguard farmers and farmlands within the state.
All of the security concerns voiced by the state’s commercial and smallholder farmers will be addressed by this team, which has received extensive training in agricultural protection and uses cutting-edge technology tools.
He reported that the team was stationed in key farms around the state and particular agro-processing centers and facilities.
According to the commissioner, the ministry is in talks with the Miyetti Allah group in the hopes that they will also help guarantee everyone’s safety.
In response to the ongoing violence between farmers and herders in the Isi-Uzo council area, the commissioner announced that a military installation had been set up in the town by the state government in collaboration with the federal government.
“In the near future, conflicts between farmers and herders, as well as individuals in the council area and the surrounding local governments, will no longer be an issue,” he declared.
Among the many agro-industrial partnerships with donor organizations, Ubru cited the state government’s heavy investment in agriculture as a business.
He claimed the state’s leadership was ready to make sure the agricultural revolution and transformation had the expected effect.
Both overt and covert security measures have been implemented, he claims, by the administration of Governor Peter Mbah.
That way, the state can be sure it achieves its agricultural goals in a comprehensive way, which includes things like rural development and industrialization, food sufficiency and security, and the jobs that come with it.
According to him, the state government’s ambition to increase the economy from its current $4.4 billion to $30 billion within eight years involves “upscaling agriculture through massive investment and massive mechanization” as its primary strategy.