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To mark the World Food Day, Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun state has today listed major milestones and expansion agenda for the state’s agricultural sector.
In a widely celebrated event attended by farmers across the crop sectors, Governor Adeleke reaffirmed the commitment of his administration to sustaining food security in the state, directing more active delivery by the Food Security Implementation Committee he set up earlier in the year.
“As part of efforts to strengthen productivity of the sector, you all will recall our Government procured thirty-one (31) brand new Tractors. That delivery was the first phase with further delivery expected soon. We have since commenced the deployment process to local governments.
“This however includes installation of tracking devices on the tractors to secure the assets, the finalization of a private sector based management of the assets and ongoing partnership with farmers’ association on the leasing of the tractors for farm use.
“Our immediate, short, medium and long term plans are to ensure sustainable usage of the tractors. We are targeting building a strong base for farm mechanisation including the building of a technical centre for maintenance of the tractors.
“To this end, our government has opened talks with the Machine Tools Limited at Osogbo to domesticate tractor production and maintenance. The synergy between the state and the Machine tool will also include expanding the technical skills and capacity of agropreneurs across Osun state.
“To that end, we have launched an agropreneur project which I promised earlier. Each local government is expected to provide at least 1000 hectares of land for a special incubation farming project for young agropreneurs. We have a productive partnership with the German Development Agency, GIZ to train and empower agropreneurs.
“To start with, the first phase of the training is focused on the cashew sector while the second training is focusing on rice production. The first phase of the training has been successfully completed. I commend GIZ , our partner, for its generous support for the agropreneur project.
“I however urge each local government to quickly make available the requested land for the farming project. The Commissioner for Agriculture and his counterpart for Local Government affairs should join hands to ensure availability of such lands as quickly as possible.
“We are building an agro based , export oriented state economy that will secure food security, expand food access to our people and provide jobs for our teeming youths.
“I want to assure you, our farmers, of our commitment to mechanisation and innovations.. I attended a livestock conference in France in the last few days and we have learnt new practices about innovations in livestock farming.
“We strike partnership deals with French partners and even the office of the French Government on International Development. The Commissioner for Agriculture is following up on the understandings reached at the Livestock conference.
“Additionally, we have distributed herbicides, a variety of vegetable seedlings and fertilizers free of charge to support our farmers. These initiatives are part of our goal to establish Osun State as the agro-industrial capital of the Southwest region”, the Governor told the gathering of farmers.
The Governor expressed his deep appreciation to the farmers of Osun State for their unwavering support of our administration, promising to continue collaboration with the farming community to achieve the shared goal of making Osun State an Agro-Industrial hub of the region.
The Commissioner for Agriculture, Hon Tola Faseru in his welcome address said the State Government has implemented several initiatives in the sector, citing the distribution of 6,000 packs of various vegetable seedlings, 8,000 Liters of herbicides and fertilizers to the farmers and the distribution of 8,000 cassava cuttings and 80,000 cashew seedlings.
Faseru added that the ministry trained youths, women and people with disabilities in pig production and gave them piglets, working tools, feeds and stipends to kick start their business.
“Similarly, twenty-five (25).poultry farmers in the State through the Osun Broilers Outgrower Production Scheme were empowered to the tune of N8.6 million naira each in a bid to boost.poultry production. These are some of the accomplishments of the Ministry this year”, he stressed.
President, Association of Farmers in Nigeria (AFAN), Osun state chapter, Alhaji Safiriyu Aremu commended the state government for the support extended to the farmers, promising further support of the Association for Governor Adeleke and his administration.
The event witnessed presentation of farm crop gifts and fish exhibition of various farm produce.