Agriculture
Gov Hails FG Over Agrobusiness Success
The Ondo State governor,
Dr Olusegun Mimiko, has attributed the success of the state’s agrobusiness cities scheme to the Federal Governemnt’s collaboration with the state in the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA), programme.
The Governor who was speaking on a Radio Nigeria network programme yesterday stated this while inaugurating the 1000 hectare land for the production of cassava of Ore business city.
Earlier, the chairman, Ondo State Wealth creation Agency, Mrs Bolanle Olafunloye who is in charge of the farms said agrobusiness ventures in the state would no longer be the same.
She said the agency was partnering with other international agencies to enable the scheme attain international standard.
“That is why we are partnering with other intentional organisations to bring the scheme to international standard,” she said.
She said the South West state was set for a robust harvest of agricultural products like cocoa, cassava and yam, amongst others.
Olafunloye further explained that the state government has been very magnanimous in its attention to agrobusiness activities which was evident in the establishment of agribusiness cities in the three senatorial districts of the state.
According to her, the main thrust of the scheme was to engage youths, mostly graduates, in modern-day agrobusiness.
She said even with the lack of funds, collaboration with the federal government under the Sure-P internship scheme has facilitated the graduands back to the farms.
Some of the youths who are already professional farmers and entrepreneurs who also spoke to our correspondent hailed the co-operation between the Federal and State governments, even as they said the scheme “is a welcome development”.
A representative of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) called on other states of the federation to take a cue from Ondo State.
It is believed that Ondo State would soon take back its first seat in agriculture just as the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, Stated recently that the state was among the states in which a cassava processing mill will be constructed by the federal government.
Farm produce displayed during the World Food Day celebration in Port Harcourt recently.
Federal Government and the Ogun State Government, on Wednesday, distributed farm inputs to farmers as part of effort to address food security challenge.
The State Director, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Toyin Ayo-Ajayi, during the flag-off ceremony of Inputs Redemption Under The National Agricultural Growth Scheme-Agro Pocket (NAGS-AP), in Ogun State, disclosed that beneficiaries of the gesture were primarily rice, maize and cassava farmers across the State.
Ayo-Ajayi commended the Ogun State Government for partnering with the government at the centre for the effort in supporting farmers with inputs that would bring about yieldings for local consumption and likely exportation.
She noted that government is supporting rice, cassava and maize farmers with inputs worth N212,000; N189,000 and N186,000 respectively.
The Permanent Secretary in the State Ministry of Agriculture, Mrs Kehinde Jokotoye, who represented the Commissioner in the Ministry, Bolu Owotomo, stated that traditional farmers are critical in food production, hence the need to encourage and support them with inputs that would bring about desired results during harvesting.
Owotomo said: “Let us make good use of this opportunity, so that the success of this phase will make farmers benefit more from the state and federal governments of Nigeria.”
Earlier, State Coordinator, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Oluwatoyin Ayo-Ajayi, appreciated the present administration for partnering with the federal government for the initiative, adding that the programme is designed to support farmers at the grassroots level in cassava, rice and maize with inputs such as, seeds, pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers, to boost their production and enhance their livelihood.