Governor Oserhiemen Osunbor of Edo State has expressed the need to boost agricultural productivity through the establishment of commercial farming in Nigeria.
The Governor who spoke when a delegation of farmers from South Africa led by the Director AGRIFICA, Shepherd Agriculture, Mr Hennie Van der Merwe paid him a visit at Government House Benin City, said that this could be achieved through the effective linkage of the findings of agro-allied research institutions and departments in tertiary institutions.
Governor Osunbor said issues of food scarcity, crisis and security " need not arise if such synergy was timely and properly utilised", adding that Nigeria could conveniently avert food crisis if proper planning is put in place.
Speaking on the importance of farm development programmes, the Governor said his administration placed priority attention on agriculture, saying that the state had a lot of fertile land for agricultural development that would boost food production beyond sustenance farming and also create job opportunities for the people.
