The Imo State Government has stepped up efforts to increase cassava production across the state, with a target of between 40 and 45 tonnes per hectare.
Records available to DrumAfricanews has it that Imo State currently boast of average yield of about 30 tonnes per hectare.
The Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Chief Longers Anyanwu, disclosed this in a release while calling on farmers, traditional rulers and community leaders to support a renewed return to agriculture and make greater use of available farmlands.
Chief Anyanwu said the state government, under Governor Hope Uzodimma, has continued to introduce measures aimed at reducing some of the major difficulties faced by farmers, especially in land preparation, access to improved planting materials and irrigation.
He cited the state’s Tractor Hire Scheme as one of the interventions designed to reduce dependence on manual farming and make cultivation easier for farmers. He also noted that Imo State has secured a Federal Government allocation for pivot irrigation, which is expected to support more reliable agricultural production.
According to the Commissioner, high-yield planting materials are also being made available to farmers through agricultural support programmes involving the Office of the First Lady.
He urged communities to take advantage of the various interventions and return actively to food production, stressing that increased agricultural output would improve household income, create economic opportunities and strengthen food security across the state.
“The more food you make, the more money you make. Let’s get back to the land,” Chief Anyanwu said.
He maintained that increasing cassava yields and encouraging more residents to embrace farming remain important parts of the government’s drive to expand food production and strengthen the agricultural economy of Imo State.
