Agricultural Development: Buhari Rates Ogun State Best
By ABIODUN JIMOH, ABEOKUTA
Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun led administration sincerity on agricultural drive has been described as one of the best in the country.
This commendation was made by the National Coordinator, Value-Chain Development Programme (VCDP), Hajia Fatimah Mukhtar Buhari while being received at the exco chamber in Abeokuta.
Hajia Mukhtar Buhari who was in the state to inspect some agricultural projects hinted that VCDP wants to support the state in areas of cassava and rice value-chain opportunities and to link up the farmers to off-takers.
She said: “We are here to support Ogun in cassava and rice value-chain. Quite some time now, we have been monitoring and supervising agricultural activities in different states and we are happy to say that Ogun State is one of the best. So, we want to link up farmers, especially women with off-takers.”
The state governor represented by his deputy, Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedele expressed that the present administration was poised at using agriculture to boost food production, increase employment opportunity and create industrialisation.
He added that the state has embraced Anchor Borrowers’ Borrowers’ Programme to enhance value-chain, processors, infrastructure as well as accessible rural roads to market agricultural products.
“We want to boost food production and increase employment opportunity and participate in intervention programme through agriculture. The anchor borrowers’ programme embarked upon is meant to create value-chain, processors, infrastructure and accessible rural roads,” he said.
Welcoming the guest earlier, Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Adeola Odedina hinted that the state government was partnering with federal government, international bodies and private investors to boost agriculture through technology, having provided enabling environment for business.
He revealed that Ogun State, being the highest producer of cassava in Nigeria, has set up different cassava processing centres in over 20 villages in the state.
He also described the state as the highest producer of rice in the south-west and has established rice farms in eight local government areas.
The Project Coordinator, Value-Chain Development Programme, Mr. Samuel Adeogun, thanked the federal government for the support and eulogised the state government for releasing 2018 counterpart fund as and when due.
He enumerated various intervention programmes done by the VCDP in conjunction with International Fund for Agricultural Activities (IFAAD), part of which is modernisation of Fufu market at Ifo through procurement of solar power, boreholes, climate change intervention, good agronomic practices, among others.
He added that VCDP has also devised a way of turning cassava pills and rice husk to source of solar power and to fire rice mills respectively.
He revealed that over 30 young farmers have been trained by International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and another 10 certified as seed producers, while another 20 have been certified as cassava cuttings producers to boost farmers’ capacity and improve productivity.
Also present are the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Tokunbo Talabi; Chief of Staff, Alh. Shuaib Afolabi; Head of Service, Alhaja Selimot Ottun; Senior Special Assistant on Agriculture, Dr (Mrs) Angel Adelaja-Kuye; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Dr. Dotun Sorunke and host of other dignitaries.
