Ogun State Government says it has taken delivery of 39 brand new tractors to enhance Mechanized Farming and ensure massive food production in the state
The State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Hon. Bolu Owotomo who made this known on Monday at a media parley at Oke-Mosan Abeokuta office of the ministry, also pleaded with communities, particularly leaders Of Community Development Associations (CDA) to encourage more Agro- investors who are interested in investing in the state, to have seamless access to landed property acquired by government for agriculture purposes , to create more employment and business opportunities within the agric-value chain
Governor Dapo Abiodun according to the commissioner, will soon flag-off the deployment of the tractors in addition to other farm inputs being expected to enable farmers have access to necessary tools for farming through the Agro-Service office of the ministry
The Commissioner expressed readiness of government to partner private sector to refurbish some of the grounded heavy-duty equipments in the ministry, particularly 20 bulldozers in care of Agriculture Services Office of the ministry in Asero area of Abeokuta, saying the five of them will soon be refurbished and put to use to ease the process of clearing land for farming and agric purposes
Owotomo added that over 160,000 had been registered by his ministry in the past three months while over 40,000 group into various clusters where they were trained in modern farming techniques and given the needed support through various intervention initiatives under World Bank supported Ogun State Economic Transformation Project -OG-STEP
He identified some of the clusters to include Ifonyintedo with 80 Casava farmers , Oke-Odan for production of palm-oil, Ikenne designated as enclave for poultry and other livestock and Magboro where large number of rice farmers are concentrated in the state
Also over 2,000 fish farmers especially in Eruwe and Ipokia according to him, are getting the needed support including provision of N50million revolving loan at zero percent interest rate, to assist them to expand fish production in the state
He explained that farmers in each of the clusters were linked with off-takers which serve as ready made market for them to maximize profit and guide against unnecessary waste
Additionally, he stated that Farmers Market in Asero, Abeokuta are being expanded to accommodate over 300 traders , where people can have access to fresh farm products at affordable prices
The Commissioner added that similar Farmers market would be replicated in Lusada, Ijebu-Ode and another area close to Lagos
Owotomo revealed that irrigation facilities were recently handed over to Farmers in Ado, Ado Odo Ota Local Government as well as a renovated toilet facilities at Ihunbo, Ipokia Local Government Area, under OG-CARES FADAMA project.
He noted that irrigation facilities procured for the over 300 farmers included, 3 generating sets, one 18-litre irrigable sprayer, a submersible pump, as well as land preparation, covering five hectares of irrigable farm land.
The Commission disclosed that over 18,500 farmers across the 20 Local Government Areas of the State have so far benefitted from OG-CARES FADAMA project.
He added that Special Agro- processing Zone being established in partnership with ARISE Investment in Remo axis where the Ogun Agro-Cargo International Airport is being constructed to boost Agro- Allied industry and create thousands of job opportunities within the Agric-value chain
"We are revitalizing the existing dams to serve as irrigation for water during dry season and ensure all-round farming season in the state" he stated
On the security of farmers investment in the sector, he assured that the Prince Dapo Abiodun's administration would do everything humanly possible to address clashes between farmers and herders which according to him, is nation-wide phenomenon not perculiar with the State
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