Agriculture: Philanthropists Empower Rural Farmers In Enugu Community

Chief Paschal Aneke, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Paschal-Rico Group of Companies and Switzerland returnee, Mr Sunday Ozokolo, at the weekend, empowered rural farmers in Ezeagu Council Area of Enugu State with agro inputs.

The presentation was made during the official launch of the “Ezeagu Agricultural Empowerment 2024” which is aimed at encouraging the people to go back to farming.

The duo who hailed from Ezema Mgbagbu-owa community in Ezeagu Council Area where the empowerment programme took place, said the vision was to reawaken the spirit of agriculture among the rural farmers in Ezeagu.

According to them, they were not happy the way the youths of the area neglected farming which can serve as a means of livelihood for them.

Some of the inputs distributed to the farmers  include motorcycles,  agro chemicals and cash.

Ozokolo, said agriculture can solve the challenges and problems people were facing in today’s world.

He said, “I have been abroad and have been seeing how people there  are doing it in agriculture, so when I returned, I saw that some of my people are lagging behind in  agriculture.

“So there were need to empower and  encourage them to embrace farming, adding that, with agriculture, Enugu State  and the country will grow .

“We give them prizes based on what they cultivated from Ezeagu soil and this year, we chose yam,” he said.

He added that, “Whoever, his yam  becomes the overall best, goes home with the biggest prize followed by second, third and other consolation prizes

“First  prize goes home with one motorcycle and two agro chemical, second  prizes  goes home with one motorcycle and one chemical while third prize  goes home with only motorcycle”.

Ozokolo said four farmers would go   home with consolation prizes of  one carton of agro chemicals  each including cash.

On how they would  differentiate Ezeagu yams from others, the philanthropist said he invited agricultural experts to verify whether the yams presented were Ezeagu yams or not.

He assured the event would  be annual event to encourage his people into farming.

Mr. Sunday Stephen Ozokolo giving insight into the the Ezeagu Agricultural Empowerment 2024

While appealing to youths to embrace farming and to see it as a means of livelihood Chief Aneke explained that the  empowerment was to promote agriculture in Ezeagu LGA, Enugu and Southeast.

He said the LGA had a  large land for farming but some of the youths were unwilling to farm.

“Few that are farming, government should help them  with access road to transport their  produce to markets in the state,” he appealed.

Chief Paschal Onyeka Aneke one of the sponsors of the Ezeagu Agricultural Empowerment 2024

A Guest Speaker, and woman leader, Mrs Ifeoma Obidiaso,  who delivered speech on agriculture emphaised the massive benefits of  agriculture to  youths.

The speech was titled:
“Agriculture As a Developmental Means In The Rural”.

She noted that women in the rural areas should be encourage to go into large scale farming.

She regretted that farming in the area had gradually going into extinction, hoping that the empowerment programme would help  revitalize it.

“And  make communities understand the importance of agriculture in their  environment.

“There is need for people to go into farming as a means of driving away poverty, develop themselves and sustain themselves through it,” she said

A farmer, Mr Jonas Okongwu, expressed happiness over the empowerment, saying it was the first time such programme was  happening in Ezeagu.

He thanked the sponsors, describing the gesture as, “empowerment that will help farmers”.

He also lamented the menace of  herders in the area, and called on the government to help them to return to their farms.