To provide basic information on the structure of the agricultural sector in Nigeria, the Federal Government has put machineries in place to conduct a National Agricultural Sample Census (NASC) across the country through the National Bureau of Statistics, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, World Bank and the Food and Agricultural Organisation.
To this end, the Federal Government is also collaborating with the state government in ensuring the success of the enumeration exercise which is billed to last for fifty days and will take place across the twenty five local government areas of the state.
This was stated today, at the commencement of a 5-Day Training of Enumerators (TOE), held at the Federal Secretariat Complex, Asaba, organized by the management of National Bureau Of Statistics (NBS).
Addressing the enumerators, the State Commissioner for Economic Planning, Dr Barry Pere Gbe said the Delta State Government was collaborating with the National Bureau of Statistics to carry out the agricultural census.
The Commissioner, who was represented by the Director of Statistics, Mrs. Elizabeth Nkechi Maduemezia noted that the enumerators from the State Ministry of Agriculture, DAPA and Statistics were part of the team that would carry out the exercise.
“The trained Enumerators will be deployed to collect data from selected household and Agricultural related businesses for the following 50 days.
“The objectives also include the provision of a comprehensive frame and register for conducting subsequent agriculture and household-based surveys.
” To provide data for the proposed rebasing of the National Gross National Product scheduled for 2023″. He said.
While stressing that computer based device would be used to collate the data in order to have reliable information, Dr. Gbe stated that the relevant data collated would assist the Government at all levels to formulate policies and programmes in planning for the agricultural sector, monitor interventions aimed at ensuring Food Security in Nigeria.
He appealed to Deltans and all stakeholders to give the Enumerators the necessary support to ensure that the exercise is successful.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary (PS), Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mr Ben Agamah lauded the Federal Government for the agricultural census initiative aimed at ensuring food security in the country.
Agamah noted that the exercise would provide a comprehensive frame and agricultural register in the state and country that would give basic information on the agricultural sector which could give investors the necessary information on the comparative advantage of the each state in the federation.
In his remarks, the State Coordinator, National Bureau of Statistics, Mr. Emmanuel Agbebaku disclosed that Nigeria was lacking statistics in the agricultural sector hence the agricultural census by the Federal Government to properly capture the production of crops, livestock, fishery and forestry among others in each state of the Federation.
He said one hundred enumerators will cover Delta State with four in each local government area noting that the exercise would help in producing data the rebasing of the nation’s economy and gross domestic product.
Agbebaku attributed the neglect in the agricultural sector to the over dependence on crude oil and solicited the support and cooperation of community leaders, Local Government Council Chairmen and stakeholders to ensure the success of the exercise that would last for fifty days.