The Cross River State Government has assured farmers in the state of the government’s support while in farming.
State Governor, Mr Ben Ayade made the pledge on Wednesday during the unveiling of Ayade Premium Rice locally produced in the state.
According to him, the development was to encourage local production as the nation strives towards rice sufficiency and food security.
“The local rice production will help to reduce the nation’s import of rice as well as ensure food security in the country and encouraged people of the state to key into farming in order to diversify the economy,” he said.
While frowning at the continuous importation of foreign rice into the country, the governor called for attitudinal change following the ban by the government.
Mr Ayade is of the view that government should be more strict on its ban on importation policy to encourage more farmers to go into farming.
With the Federal Government’s intervention and support of local rice production, he said, Cross River state hopes to be the leading producer of rice in the country as it has grown its own rice.
In attendance at the unveiling ceremony were members of the state House of Assembly and National Assembly, the State’s executive council and government officials.
The lawmakers representing the state commended the state government for keying into the Central Bank of Nigeria’s anchor borrowers scheme to increase its productivity.
