Imo Commissioner Urges Action to Save Agricultural Programme

Chief Longers Anyanwu, the Imo State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, expressed grave concerns regarding the imminent extinction of the Imo Agricultural Development Programme (ADP) during a meeting with the agency's management team at the State Secretariat in Owerri. He described the current state of the ADP as a mere shadow of its former self, recalling its previous success under his leadership, particularly in the FADAMA Programmes.

Anyanwu emphasized the importance of agriculture in rural development and suggested that utilizing rural land for agricultural purposes could help reduce insecurity by limiting hiding places for criminals. He proposed that if hoodlums were provided with farming inputs, they might engage in crop production instead of criminal activities.

The Commissioner instructed the General Manager of Imo ADP, Dr. Jones Uzoka, to document all lands lost to land grabbers and to innovate strategies to revitalize the agency.

Dr. Uzoka reported challenges including non-payment of counterpart funding since 2011 and loss of trained staff, while Dr.

Alexander Onwumere, the Permanent Secretary, described the situation as worrisome.