The Onitsha Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, ONICCIMA, in conjunction with New Dimensions Agricultural City Limited has organised an interactive session on Investment in Agriculture that will guarantee up to one hundred percent annual return on investment at the All Saints Cathedral, Onitsha.
Addressing the participants, the ONICCIMA President, Chief Kelvin Obieri said the programme is apt, especially now that importation has become difficult hence the need to look inwards.
Chief Obieri who emphasized the need for people to invest in Agriculture for food sufficiency said that it is high time Ndigbo produced what they eat and sell, by using their natural endowment, promising more of such training and interactive sessions in order to bring the message of agriculture closer to the people.
The Managing Director of New Dimensions Agricultural City Limited, Mr. Festus Obidozie said the concept of the New Dimensions Agricultural City is to create an investment window and close agricultural value chain gaps across sectors of the economy through partnership with diverse stakeholders.
Mr. Obidozie who said that they acquired thousands of hectares of land in Delta and Edo states for investment in perennial and annual crops, pointed out that they are looking for partners because they believe in long term business relationship, adding that experts in different agricultural fields will be on hand to ensure maximum yield and profit for investors.
A professor in agronomy, Professor Izuchukwu Ibeawuchi from the Federal University of Science and Technology Owerri, taught the people Oil Palm Production and Engineer Emeka Chinweze, a farm power and machinery specialist who spoke on Post Harvest Processes, said people are vulnerable when they do not produce what they eat.
Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Corporation led by Mr. Patrick Ejike also unveiled their programmes to the people.
Some participants, Christian Onyekachukwu and Regina Chukwudozie said that the lectures gave them more insight on the benefits of agriculture.
Staff reporter, Oggorchukwu Oranu reports that Professor Bethel Uzoho,a soil scientist from FUTO, spoke on Relevance Of Soil For Improved Agriculture, Prof. Gabriel Ihejirika from Department Of Crop Science, FUTO lectured the participants on Maize and Coconut Production while Dr. Joel Omeke who is the South East Zonal Director, National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Service, spoke extensively on Rice And Cassava Production.
The event featured a question and answer session.