The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, on Tuesday said that government planned to reduce fish importation by 2015.
Adesina gave this indication at the distribution of fishing equipment under the Artisan Growth Enhancement Support Scheme and Acqua-Culture project at Ganaja Riverside in Lokoja.
Represented by the Coordinator of the Agricultural Transformation Agenda in the state, Dare Arotiba, the minister said the items were being given to farmers at 50 per cent subsidy.
He said the gesture was aimed at boosting fish production and meet local consumption.
“The Federal Government has decided to reduce fish importation into the country to the barest minimum by 2015. The distribution of equipment will be extended to fish farmers in riverine states across the country. The Agriculture Transformation Agenda and the Growth Enhancement Support Scheme are designed to make inputs available to farmers in order to ensure food security,” he said.
According to him, the other objectives of the schemes are generation of employment, creation of wealth for farmers and improvement of the sector’s contribution to GDP.
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