Osun state government engages SMEs to drive Food Support Scheme
By Segun Adegoke, Osogbo
The Government of Osun State has disclosed that it engaged the services of over 50 Small and Medium-sized Enterprises to drive its continuous Food Support Scheme.
Secretary to the State Government, Prince Wole Oyebamiji, made the disclosure on Tuesday at the flag off ceremony of the 12th edition of the programme in Osogbo, the state capital.
According to Oyebamiji, the initiative has helped in feeding 360,000 vulnerable residents with the multiplier effects on over one million people constituting various households since inception of the programme in 2021.
He said the positive impact of the scheme on the economy of the State was visible as it had stimulated more economic activities through promotion of local production and encouragement of local entrepreneurs.
“As you can see, women have been extremely involved in the scheme, take for instance, in the production of garri, women play dominant role and don’t be surprised that there are women farmers who cultivate cassava too in this state”, he said
In his remarks, the Commissioner for Special Duties and Regional Integration, Engr. Olalekan Badmus, said the execution of the initiative had been very participatory, collective and holistic.
Badmus noted that the scheme had brought a paradigm shift in local production just as it had helped to advance and promote the cause of local entrepreneurs who were hitherto not fully engaged.
“So far, we have been able to engage 50 Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMSEs). We are happy to have made this feat within one year particularly on garri production, because we have been able to show that consistently our local entrepreneurs can produce the product. This has helped them to expand their business and get more patronage through the awareness we have created for them among other advantages,” he added.
The Commissioner said the Food Support Scheme had been able to solve the problem of hunger among the vulnerable in the state and had also impacted a sizeable number of SMEs positively.
