The Abia State Government has distributed improved cocoa seedling to registered cocoa farmers free of charge.
At the event held at Michael Okpara Auditorium, Umuahia, Governor Theodore Orji who was also awarded with Best Agriculture Friendly Governor hinted that the administration landmark in agriculture is to create wealth and boost the economic development of rural areas.
According to Dr Uche Nwafor, the state has keyed into the agriculture transformation by supporting the 2012/2013 data capture for farmers where the state recorded the highest figure in the Southeast zone with a total number of two hundred and forty thousand registered farmers.
Shortly after receiving the award as the Agricultural Friendly Governor, Southeast, Governor Orji disclosed that the attention being given to agricultural sector is a strategic move by government to ensure the sector which used to be the mainstay of economy before the oil boom is not overlooked.
He added that the state government has chosen to make the sector a major priority and as part of deliberate development strategy government has revamp most of the agriculture industries because it is in line with the objectives of the World Development Economic Goals with focus on Agriculture activities as a solution to poverty.
