Food production is under tremendous pressure due to the ever-growing population of our great nation. It is therefore incumbent on all stakeholders to deliberately institute measures to increase food production for the Nigerian population. The federal Government of Nigeria under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari has initiated several policies with special emphases on promoting agriculture; thus turning the country into a net producer of food for both domestic and export markets.
BORBDA as an agency of the Federal Government is poised more than ever to ensure that Government policies are translated into actionable agricultural programs. In so doing, the Authority is positioned to meet the new challenges for a balanced integrated planning and sustainable agricultural development.
As part of its planning mandate, BORBDA has recently embarked on the preparation of a 4 year Strategic Plan which identifies its development needs whilst also providing a roadmap for optimal utilization of resources with a view to improving livelihoods through food security. The plan is holistic and it is geared towards the promotion of sustainable agriculture using environmentally friendly practices and efficient natural resource management.
To deliver on our strategic objectives, the Authority will embark on re-engineering and restructuring of the existing institutional framework by focusing on initiatives that are complimentary to the Federal Government agricultural policies. For the next four years, the Authority’s core functions will focus on those projects that create multiplier effect on outcomes to achieve faster growth and address the development challenges particularly in food security, employment, poverty reduction, environmental protection, water supply and improving the revenue generating status of BORBDA.
As we set out to achieve our mandate, we shall work closely with all stakeholders including state governments, development partners, research institutions, commercial farmers and local communities for sustainable and improved agricultural productivity.
The Federal Government of Nigeria under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari has initiated several policies with special emphases on promoting agriculture; thus turning the country into a net producer of food for both domestic and export markets. It is therefore incumbent on all stakeholders to deliberately institute measures to increase food production for Nigerians and the economy.
We, at the Benin Owena River Basin Development Authority have keyed into this initiative to increase food production by 70 percent from 2017 to the second quarter of 2018. As an agency of the Federal Government we are poised more than ever to ensure that Government policies are translated into actionable agricultural programs. In so doing, the Authority is positioned to meet the new challenges for a balanced integrated planning and sustainable agricultural development.
As part of our strategic plans to make Benin Owena to become of the most prominent river basins in Nigeria, we have recently concluded the preparation of a four year strategic plan which has enabled us identified development needs whilst also providing a roadmap for the optimum utilization of resources with a view to improve livelihoods through food security. The plan is holistic and it is geared towards the promotion of sustainable agriculture using environmentally friendly practices and efficient natural resource management.
To deliver on our strategic objectives, the Authority has embarked on re-engineering and restructuring of the existing institutional framework by focusing on initiatives that are complimentary to the Federal Government agricultural policies. One of such initiatives is the adoption of the Songhai Farms agricultural models which not only increase agricultural yields per hectare, it generates employment through entrepreneurship whilst also promoting sustainability across the value chain. For the next four years, the Authority’s core functions will focus on those projects that create multiplier effect on outcomes to achieve faster growth and address the development challenges particularly in food security, employment, poverty reduction, environmental protection, water supply and improving the revenue generating status of the agency.
As we set out to achieve our mandate, we shall work closely with all stakeholders including state governments, development partners, research institutions, commercial farmers and local communities for sustainable and improved agricultural productivity.
ENGR. SALIU AHMED
Managing Director