The Ikpeazu-led government has increased spending on agriculture, provided more credits and loans to farmers and engaged them properly for our profiting. The return to farming and women in fish farming initiative of the governor has helped drive key government policies as regards agriculture. The government through the initiative makes land, finance and training available to farmers. The vision is to explore the agro-economy as a support base for the state economy.

Abia which is richly bless and has a landmass of 5.835sqkm with an increasing population over 2.8 million is blessed with natural resources and fertile land. This prompted Gov. Ikpeazu to actively engage and support the drive for agriculture especially in mechanised farming of cassava, rice and oil palm in line with federal government programmes and our state's areas of natural advantage.

For instance, in Abia today the Abia Rice (Osikapa Abia), is available for all Abians and has become an alternative to imported rice. Before now, Abia rice farmers faced many challenges: how to improve their yields, mill locally, package and market their products. Now, the story is different; Gov. Ikpeazu has kept his promise by establishing mills for farmers in the state. The state government has established four cottage rice mills with de-stoning and proper packaging facilities in Acha (Isuikwato LGA), Uzuakoli and Bende in Bende LGA , Ofeme in Umuahia North. The plan to establish anothe one in Abam ( Arochukwu LGA) is on the way.

Gov. Ikpeazu, apart from building rice mills for Abia rice farmers, providing capacity building initiatives on Agro-business and offering take off grants to those who are engaged in production and agro-marketing, has extended invitations to private sector participants in the agro-business to establish modern rice mills at Ubani - Ibeku agro industrial cluster to help improve the quantity of Abia rice in the market. The public-private partnership in Abia state towards the production of Abia Rice will not only increase production, but will also reduce unemployment and boost economic activities in the state.

In diversifying the state economy through agro-business, the place of private sector is indispensable and key to the growth and development of the state economy. This is no longer an option, it has become the only hope. The governor's call on the private sector and his creation of a conducive climate for their investment to thrive by making them to enjoy a minimum of five years tax waiver courtesy of state government, are right steps in the right direction.

Agriculture used to be the largest contributor to the Gross Domestic Product ( GDP) in Nigeria before the 1960 independence; the sector employed the largest number of labour and caused the country to earn foreign currencies. The currency of rice farmers in Abia has increased due to daily increase in demands of the products by Abia citizens.

Kingsley Maduforo is a Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to Gov. Ikpeazu on Media.