FISON charges government on agriculture

Dr. Awoteinm George, the Chairman, Fisheries Society of Nigeria (FISON), Rivers branch, has advised the Federal, State and Local governments to be committed to the development of agriculture. George, who gave the advice in Port Harcourt, described agriculture as the key to national development and economic growth of the country. He recalled that before petroleum was discovered in the country in 1957 at Oloibiri, now in Bayelsa state, groundnut, robber, palm oil and cotton, were the country’s foreign income earners. George, however, observed that the country was blessed with fertile land with each state engaged in the production of one cash crop or the other. He noted that in spite of the nation’s abundant agricultural resources, food security remained unattainable and urged the government to redouble efforts in boosting agricultural sector.