South-south states prioritise agricultural sector

As part of strategies to develop the South- south geo-political zone’s economy beyond oil under the BRACED commission, each state of the region has given priority to its agricultural sector.

The BRACED commission consists of the South-south states -Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Edo and Delta (BRACED). In a document obtained from the commission’s office, each state was directed to develop its economy in line with their comparative advantage in all sectors.

In line with the directives, Bayelsa state has to prioritise the development of aquaculture/poultry, plantation/banana and other fruit crops, cassava, yam, sweet potatoes, oil palm, rubber and cocoa. Rivers is to prioritise oil palm, cocoa, rubber, plantation/banana and other fruit crops, rice, cassava, yam, sweet potatoes, root and tuber, aquaculture and shrimps.

Akwa Ibom is to work on oil palm, cocoa, cassava, rice, plantation/banana and other fruit crops, rubber, aquaculture and poultry. Edo is improving on oil palm, cassava, yam, sweet potatoes, rice, rubber, cocoa, plantation/banana and other fruit crops, aquaculture and poultry while Delta state is choosing oil palm, cassava, yam, sweet potatoes, aquaculture/poultry, rubber, plantation, banana and other fruit crops, rice and cocoa.

The commission in its recommendation has endorsed the establishment of regional  commodity boards to mobilise, co-ordinate and market the produce from the region so as to avoid waste and encourage mass production of the produce.

It also recommended that adequate budget provision of 10 percent of each state annual budget should be allocated to the agriculture sector in order to meet the aspiration for diversified revenue base of the region.

By: IDRIS UMAR MOMOH