Ogun State Government Reaffirms Commitment To Building Holistic Agric Ecosystem
Ogun state government has reaffirmed its commitment to building a comprehensive agricultural ecosystem that will prioritize inclusivity, resilience, sustainability, gender-equality, climate-smart practices and conservation initiatives.
Commissioner for Agriculture, Hon. Bolu Owotomo, said this on Friday at the flag-off of inputs distribution and commencement of the 2024 planting season for farmers in Ijebu-Ode Local Government Area of the state.
Owotomo said that the programme was organised by Ogun Economic Transformation Project (OGSTEP), in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and powered by International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA-VCDFs) and NEEPREE Ltd.
He also said that the Value Chain Development Firms (VCDFs) aimed to empower farmers with resources, knowledge and support to enhance productivity, improve livelihoods and ensure food security.
“The state government had supported over 20,000 farmers through OGSTEP agriculture, with significant investments exceeding N600 million, covering mechanisation services, training and capacity building, among others.
“We have also facilitated off-taker linkages for expected yields, with an estimated 107,000 metric tonnes of produce anticipated from last season’s production,” he said.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mr Samuel Adeogun, urged farmers to make judicious use of the interventions to improve their outputs.
On his part, the Project Manager, OGSTEP agric sector, Dr Oluseyi Olugbire, said that the programme, with more than 1,000 farmers as beneficiaries, would support small-scale farmers with matching grants.
This, Olugbire said, was aimed at improving their livelihoods and creating awareness for the initiative.
Speaking on behalf of other beneficiaries, Mr Akorede Lawal and Mrs Tosin Oguntola, commended the state government for the initiative, stating that it had significantly helped to expand their farms.
The inputs to be distributed to farmers include: high quality seeds, fertilisers, herbicides, pesticides and mechanical services as well as access to extension services.
The farmers are also expected to benefit from training programmes and market linkages, while they will equally be equipped with skills that will make them adopt best practices.
NAN / Foluke Ibitomi
