In a bid to increase rice production in the country, the Minister of Agriculture Forestry and Food Security — Dr Abubakarr Karim has paid on-a-spot visit to rice cultivation areas in the southern region to observe the land preparation process, and encourage the community residents to embrace farming as part of President Bio’s initiative to enhance food self-sufficiency in the country.
The Hon. Minister visited rice fields in Manogbegbetteh and Heimalugbu villages in Tikonko chiefdom, Bo District.
He also visited the Regional Rice Value Chain Project stationed in Tormabum, Bum Chiefdom, Bonthe district to assess the land preparation process undertaken by the service provider (machine ring), and also remind them about the government’s commitment to bolster food self-sufficiency in the country.
He disclosed that he was impressed with the land preparation process so far undertaken by the service providers with support from the community Stakeholders.
The policy shift, according to the Minister, is to bring more mechanization in the farming process, and also encourage the private sector to be key driver in enhancing the country’s agricultural sector, since it is a business, adding that with the global trend wherein food is a big issue, everybody must rise to the clarion call of the President to grow what they eat especially with the favorable weather conditions in the country.
Addressing the community residents in Heimalugbu Village, the Minister noted that the country is abundantly blessed with natural resources stating that a lot of countries do not have such arable land.He admonished them to be efficient and make significant use of the country’s natural resources.
The Minister was well received by the people in the respective communities, and who were in a jubilant mood, showered praises on him and the president for supporting their communities with the rice cultivation project and they vowed to work with the service providers in increasing rice production in their various chiefdoms.
The minister was accompanied on the trip by the District Agriculture Officer for Bo District,BamaYange , Paramount Chief of Lugbu Chiefdom, Ensa Badara Nallo and the Project Coordinator of the Regional Rice Value Chain Project, Abdulai Bum Wai, alongside other staff from the districts’ agricultural offices.
