Enugu Govt. begins payment of agric insurance premium for farmers
The Enugu State Government has begun the payment of insurance premium for farmers in the state to cushion the effects of pest, crop diseases and climate change on farmlands.
The state’s Commissioner for Agriculture and Agro-Industralisation, Mr Patrick Ubru, disclosed this on Friday in Enugu.
Ubru said this at the sidelines of the one-day South East Zonal Consultative Forum for the Review of National Gender Policy in Agriculture for Nigeria and it’s Strategic Plan of Action (2025 – 2030).
The commissioner, who did not disclose the amount involved and number of benefiting farmers, said that “with the unpredictability of nature and climatic condition, insurance is very important.”
“The vulnerability of the climate has affected agriculture a lot. The payment of insurance premium is to use it to protect the farmers,” he said.
Ubru also said that state government had set up seed laboratory in the Ministry of Agriculture for better yield and bumper agricultural production.
According to him, a seed gallery has been set up in the ministry for easy access to quality and affordable seeds and seedlings suitable for the state soil types.
“The seed laboratory is meant to test the seeds and their fertility in the soil as well as determine their condition before planting,” he said.
Ubru said that all forms of crops are grown in Enugu State today, adding “that there is ongoing Gov. Peter Mbah’s Cocoa Initiative, with 30,000 seedlings of cocoa available in the state.”
He said, “The target is to have over 3,000 hectares of cocoa farms in the state for a start.”
The commissioner said that the governor is currently developing 260 farm estates in the 260 political wards in the state.
He said that 200 hectares of land will be used for farming in each ward and each farmer will be given one hectare of land for farming and extension services would be provided for farmers as well.
“The governor will announce date for the commissioning of the farm estates soon,” he said.
Ubru said that governor had determined to improve agricultural in all its ramifications, adding: “His Excellence, Gov. Peter Mbah, has planned growth of the state’s economy from $4.4 billion to $30 billion through agriculture and agro-industralisation.