Commissioner Urges Stakeholders to Commercialize Farming

By Praise Chinecherem
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‎Anambra state Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Ben Chuks Odoemena has advised farmers and stakeholders in the sector to see farming as a business and not as a means to feed themselves and their families.
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‎Odoemena gave the advice while addressing farmers of Orumba North during the Flag off of the 2026 Farming season in the local government.
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He noted that the frustration which farmers face in the country is because they still go into farming with the mindset of subsistence agriculture.

“The moment we see farming as business, we farm for the market and not for the stomach. In that case, you first find out what the market needs before choosing what to farm on,” he said.

The commissioner told the teeming farmers in the local government that Anambra State Governor has a robust plan for agriculture in his Solution agenda.

“Our Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo has the vision to transform Anambra into a hub for agri-business. To achieve this, we will be committed to building a modern, market-oriented, and private sector-driven agricultural economy,” he stressed.

‎Odoemenam further highlighted that his ministry has a-three-pillar programme for transforming farming towards fulfilling Mr Governor’s vision.

“The first is Private Sector-Led Agricultural Development through Public-Private-Community Partnership (PPCP) model.

“The second is Irrigation-Led Production which, according to him, will make farming to become a year-round business rather than a seasonal activity.

“In the third pillar, the ministry shall build a Competitive Agricultural Value Chains. Here, they will focus on promoting structured commodity supply systems driven by market demand,” he highlighted.
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‎The Commissioner called on the local government Mayor, stakeholders, farmers cooperative society members, farmers and community leaders in the local government to come into a mutually beneficial partnership with the Anambra State ministry of Agriculture.
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‎The Orumba North LG Mayor, Rtd Captain Casmir Nwafor, in his address noted that the communities in the local government are generally agrarian.

He informed the Commissioner that the local government has been supporting farmers in various ways especially in the distribution of improved, high yielding, farm inputs.

“We equip farmers (especially the youths and women) with smart farm know-how, the local government is set to establish a model Farm Institute within the Ufuma-Awa-Ndiukwuenu axis.

“In addition, arrangements have been concluded to set up a model Vegetable Farm in Oko”
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‎The Mayor highlight of the event was the distribution of high yielding farm inputs to farmers in the local government.

These included Pro-vitamin A cassava stems, Maize and drugs that deter rodents (known as mvólî ) which prey on germinating maize seedlings.
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‎With the assurances of the Mayor and the Commissioner, farmers in Orumba North can now go into their 2026 farm businesses with high hope and great expectations.