Edo State Government at the weekend said that it has held talks with White
Zimbabwean farmers on the possibility of establishing large commercial farms in
the state. Currently Zimbabwean farmers are in
Special Adviser to the Edo State Governor on Farm Development, Ms. Uwa Osunbor, who disclosed this in Benin said that
representatives of the Zimbabwean farmers had already inspected sites in three
local govenment areas in the northern part of the
state, adding that each farmer would require about a thousand hectares, saying
that the arrangement would be comprehensive, giving room for farming processing
and export, adding that, "We have the land and the climate. Since they are
willing to come ,'why not'. We went to three local
governments where the chairmen were ready and willing to accept them."
Ms. Osunbor disclosed that Etsako West, Etsako Central where the farmers visited would be suitable
for rice farming just as Uhunmwode and Uromi would be a good place for pineapple and oranges. She,
however, said that the farmers would not just be let in to make their profit
and go away. "They will teach new technologies to our farmers; how to
apply fertiliser and more." The special adviser
allayed fears that the farmers would take away the farmlands from the
indigenous owners, saying, "It is the indigenous people that will benefit.
Most of the land is wasting away. We have over 200,000 hectares of land wasting
away", even as she indicated that some American farmers were soon to come
for inspection.
EN OSUNBO