Ekanem Ekanem-Faith CRS–MOI Officer reporting from Ministry of Agric. & Nat. Resources.
Cross River State Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources Ntufam Okon Owuna has tasked stakeholders in the agriculture sector evove strategies that will enable them to buy-into Governor Ben Ayade’s Green Money Initiative as well as take ownership of such lucrative policy.
Ntufam Owuna gave the charge during a meeting of stakeholders held recently in the Conference Hall of the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources,Calabar
The Commissioner said the Green Money initiative is Governor Ayade’s brain child aimed at making millionaires through agriculture, advising stakeholders to study the policy and make their inputs where necessary.
Stressing on the need for inter-Agency cooperation, Ntufam Owuna said: “now that the State is taking the lead in Agro-industrial revolution, there is need to imbibe this policy and make it our own,noting that as a policy under the agricultural sub-sector, it cannot be driven by the Ministry of Agriculture alone.
Agriculture cannot thrive without Information and Orientation,Water Resources, Commerce, Rural Transformation, Industry and International Development Cooperation”,the Commissioner remarked
He urged them to give Amb. Nkoyo Toyo the needed support to ensure that the Green Money Initiative excels in the State.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Green Money Initiative, Ambassador Nkoyo Toyo, said that the over all goal of Green Money Initiative is to enable the market to drive small and medium scale holder famers and their family members (who are mostly youths under the age of 27 years, venture into the increased cultivation, processing and marketing of agricultural products value chain.
Ambassador Toyo said the initiative will advance existing value chains and create access to a competitive market within the State and beyond by deliberately working on a strategy that encourages job for young persons in the State.
She said Green Money Initiative will embrace principles of equal opportunities, gender inclusion, non discrimination and diversity in projecting its market oriented goals.
Amb Toyo further stated that, the main strategy of the initiative is that it enchances the space for markets forces to interact with small and medium holder famers (who maybe found on family land and/or community land) thus enabling them improve and expand their productivity with support which includes access to land, inputs, finance, skills, markets, while adding that the strategy will resort to tools which are defined by the markets geared towards private sector investment and directed at jobs creation.
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