Nashville — It is my pleasure to participate in this year's convention of the Anambra State Association - USA (ASA-USA). I am particularly pleased with the painstakingly organization of the convention. I am also pleased by the theme, revolving around agriculture - a subject that is very dear to the Government and good people of Anambra State.

On a general note, the annual ASA-USA Convention has remained a pedestal for devising the means and methods of developing Anambra State. It is noteworthy and commendable that you invariably match the usual talk shops with the attendant action. You have continued to make meaningful financial and material contributions to the general well-being of Ndi Anambra. I can assure you that your kith and kin who are the beneficiaries of your generosity are immensely grateful. By carrying the Anambra banner so high, and by doing so through hard work, diligence, empathy and due process, you have underscored the centrality of the Think Home Philosophy in your American sojourn.

For distinguishing yourselves as worthy ambassadors of our people and for demonstrating support for our previously misgoverned people, I have a quid-pro-quo for you: It is the solemn promise that the Government of Anambra State will never relent in its efforts at laying the foundations and build up the edifice of a society that our children and children's children will be proud to call their own - a home where comfort, diligence, discipline, fulfillment, healthcare, jobs and security of lives and property are assured. Our people deserve no less.

I should now turn to the theme of this convention: Agro Business as a Strategy for Economic Growth and Rural Development is apposite for these times when climate change and past visionless governance have amalgamated to leave us with the prospect of virtually starving to death. It accords with the policy thrust of my administration to mechanize and fully commercialize our agricultural system in order to generate income for our teeming population and improve the living standards of the people. I believe that the ideas and theoretical formulations generated at this Convention will be of immense benefit to Anambra State, especially in the areas of concept development for agro business incubation and the rural development. They should also aid the achievement of the much desired Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Government of Anambra State and the Tennessee State University.

Anambra State has great potential for agricultural development. It is blessed with diverse and rich vegetation capable of supporting a wide range of crops and a heavy population of livestock. Our climate favours the cultivation of an array of different arable crops. We are equally blessed with inland waterways and an extensive coastal region that is rich in fish and other marine products.

Since my assumption of office as Governor of Anambra State in 2006, priority attention has been paid to the development of the agricultural sector so as to touch the lives of the people meaningfully. In line with ANIDS - the Anambra Integrated Development Strategy - by which we are developing all sectors of the State simultaneously - we are implementing policies that have direct bearing on the lives of our people, through the provision of enabling environment for food security, poverty eradication and income generation. In this regard, my administration disbursed micro credits to farmers, and procured and distributed improved seeds and seedlings, fertilizers and other agricultural inputs to farmers at highly subsidized rates.

My administration has also released in full all the Government Cash Counterpart Contri-butions (GCCC) which have qualified Anambra State to benefit from the support of the World Bank in community-driven agricultural projects and programmes. We are also benefiting from other agencies/donors like the IDB, FAQ etc. The support we receive from these foreign organizations has enabled the State to participate in programmes like the National Programme for Food Security (NPFS), Fadama III Project, and the Root and Tuber Expansion Programme (RTEP).

You will recall that, at inception, my administration was faced with the reality of dilapidated infrastructure, absence of relevant machinery/agricultural equipment, not to talk of the vacuum that existed in the area of adequate manpower. Nonetheless, I am happy to report that, with vision, prudence and hard work, we have been able to turn things around and make a positive impact in the development of the Anambra State Agricultural Sector and other sectors.

We are also intensifying efforts in the construction/reconstruction of our network of rural roads, spreading the road projects even across the 21 local government areas of our State. We have seen to the accreditation of some of our health institutions even while still working on others. We have provided or are in the process of providing some basic infrastructure lacking in the State such as a Secretariat, base map, master plans. We have attracted international organizations to the State. We are developing the Permanent Site of the State university as well as upgrading the Amaku General Hospital to a teaching hospital. We have re-built all the structures burnt down in 2004 by reactionary forces. We are doing quite a lot in all sectors.

Still, it is pertinent to warn that, although we have left the land of agric bondage, we have not exactly arrived at the Promised Land abounding with milk and honey. The point is that Anambra State is in dire need of assistance in the areas of agricultural equipment and other facilities for the State University and the College of Agriculture. These will facilitate the accreditation of their courses and programmes as well as assist in the resuscitation of the moribund State Integrated Livestock Company. Also required are equipment and machinery like tractors, integrated rice milling machines, flash driers, silos and warehouses for grain preservation and storage. We seek sponsorship for Anambra students to attend capacity building courses in agriculture in the United States.

Rural-urban migration and the threat to food security have continued to pose great challenges to the State. These informed my administration's articulation of a blueprint for a private sector-driven development regimen to boost agriculture, increase income and raise the standard of living in line with the Millennium Development Goals (MDG).

I wish to state, at this juncture, that the vision of my administration is to ensure sustainable access, availability, affordability and safety of quality food to Ndi Anambra. We aim to adequately supply raw materials to agro based industries through private sector driven development in agriculture. We believe that Anambra State can go beyond self-sufficiency in food production to the export of agricultural produce to other parts of the country.

By the time we attain our objectives, a demand-driven and profitable agriculture sector would have emerged; direct, domestic, private investment would increase while rural infrastructure would have benefited from all-round improvement.

I wish to commend you once more for your good intentions and positive attitude towards our beloved State. Be reassured that my administration will never rest on its oars. Our collective dream, to which all our plans and actions are deployed, is the overall development of Anambra State - the Light of the Nigerian Nation.

*Excerpts from the speech by His Excellency, Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State, Nigeria at the 2008 Convention of the Anambra State Association, USA (ASA-USA), at Sheraton Music City Hotel, Nashville, Tennessee, USA on October 24-26, 2008.