Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State
has inaugurated a 13-member State Working Committee (SWC) of the National Agricultural Growth Scheme (NAGS), tagged AGRO POCKET, with an assurance that the state would work towards producing enough for local consumption and make agriculture as a major source for foreign exchange earnings through export
The Committee being chaired by the Governor himself, has the State Commissioner for Agriculture, Hon. Bolu Owotomo as Vice Chairman, while the State Coordinators of Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (MAFS) would serve as the Secretary.
Abiodun who was speaking during the inauguration in his office at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, said his administration was committed to developing the agricultural sector and others, considering its revenue and employment generation potential, as well as food security and poverty alleviation.
He stated that the target of the state government was to produce enough food to attain self-sufficiency and make it available to states as well as export in a short and long term
He added that it is the responsibility of government to provide food for people with needed relief, especially during challenging times.
The Governor hinted that the federal and state governments had developed frameworks and reforms for improved delivery of farm inputs and quality extension services
The state according to him, had identified viable sources of finance through partnership with the Federal Government and the African Development Bank under the Policy Based Operation (PBO), to boost agricultural production in both wet and dry seasons.
"You all recall that in year 2023, a pilot scheme in 15 states of the federation was initiated which was cultivated during the dry season. This led to an astronomical increase in Wheat yield. The results revealed that an estimated 277,000 hectares of Wheat were planted in Nigeria in 2023-2024, a 139 percent increase over the previous year’s season was observed.
" Undoubtedly, this result is the direct impact of the inputs received under the National Agricultural Growth Scheme supported by the African Development Bank", he stated.
Abiodun said the state would soon be supported in the cassava, maize and rice value chain with an overall number of 2,400 smallholder farmers on 1,200 hectares of land, where the farmers would pay 25 percent of the cost of inputs while the federal government will pay the remaining 75 percent during the wet season of 2024.
He charged the Committee members to be mindful as they have been entrusted with the sacred mandate to ensure efficient running of the programme just as he enjoined them to carry out their assignment with integrity and forthrightness.
Governor Abiodun who stated that his administration's policy on agriculture had attracted investors to the state, cited the establishment Soilless Farm Laboratory at Awowo in Ewekoro Local Government Area
He appreciated President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, for the laudable initiative, emphasising that it would help in addressing the food challenge in the country.
Responding on behalf of the members, Olota of Ota, Oba Abdulkabir, Obalanlege, who applauded the Federal Government's initiative and the governor for driving the process, said the step was capable of bringing down inflation and increasing food production in the country, pledging to work towards the success of the programme in the State.
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