…As OYO L- PRES Flags Off Free Anthrax Vaccination Exercise

IBADAN – Oyo State Government in its efforts to ensure food sufficiency commenced free vaccinations exercise for no fewer than 88,000 livestock animals across the State.

The free anthrax vaccination exercise aimed at protecting the livestock farmers’ livelihood, enhance livestock productivity and resilience, and also to ensure livestock health and food security across all the geo-political zones of the State.

Speaking while declaring open the campaign exercise in Fasola Agribusiness Industrial Hub, the Chairman Steering Committee of Oyo L-PRES, who also doubles as the Director General of Oyo State Agribusiness Development Agency (OYSADA), Dr. Debo Akande who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Agency, Mr Badmus Kolade urged livestock farmers in the State to bring out their animals for anthrax vaccination.

In his words, Akande said, “Today’s event is not just a formal exercise, it is a strong signal of our shared commitment to protecting the health of our livestock, the safety of our communities, and the integrity of our economy.

“Anthrax is a serious zoonotic disease that poses significant threats to animal health, human health, and the livelihoods of our livestock farmers. Left unchecked, it can cause sudden deaths in animals, contaminate the environment, and expose communities to grave risks. We cannot afford to be reactive, we must be proactive, and that is why we are gathered here today.

“This campaign will be rolled out across all high-risk areas, targeting cattle, sheep and goats. The teams of trained Veterinary officers and animal health technologists will work hand-in-hand with community leaders, livestock owners, and other stakeholders to ensure that this exercise is a success.

“Engr. Seyi Makinde’s administration, which came on board in 2019, has implemented a comprehensive strategy to boost agriculture and agribusiness, focusing on crops and livestock. What made our administration stand out was the strategy adopted and key initiatives taken, which include, Oyo State Agricultural Micro-Enterprise Scheme, where a database of more than 10,000 smallholder farmers has been created to provide support, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, as part of the Food Security in Emergency scheme.

“The State has launched an Agribusiness industrial hub to recover and extract value from moribund Government assets and abandoned projects, promoting Agricultural development. The flagship project is the Fasola Agribusiness Transformation Center, a model that has attracted local and international visitors, including the President of the Republic of Sierra Leone and development partners such as African Development Bank’s team among several other State Government team across Nigeria.

“Oyo State Agribusiness Development Agency (OYSADA) was established to oversee and coordinate Agribusiness activities, OYSADA plays a crucial role in implementing the State’s Agricultural agenda by attracting medium, large-scale investors into the Aagricultural landscape of the State.

“To bring on board our young population into agriculture, the agency implemented programmes like Start Them Early Program (STEP) in about 15 secondary schools across the State as well as Oyo State-IITA Youth Agribusiness Incubation Centre, where more than 100 youths have undergone hands-on training on animal production and management, all in collaboration with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA).

The Chairman of All Farmers Association of Nigeria, AFAN, Oyo State chapter, Mr. Abass Adewunmi Adekunle, has lauded Oyo State Governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, for the support given to farmers in the State.

According to Adekunle in an interview, the support by the administration of Governor Makinde resulted in considerable increase in farmers’ output in 2024, which eventually resulted in a substantial crash in prices of food items.

The AFAN chairman said Oyo State Government supported all categories of farmers with farming inputs, fertilizers, cash, counsel and tractors, all of which led to bounteous harvest for farmers and cheaper food items for the people of Oyo State.

As part of its continued efforts in ensuring food security, the Oyo State Government has begun a capacity building programme for 1,950 farmers across its 33 Local Government Areas.

This was made known in a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Prince Dotun Oyelade.

Declaring the training exercise open on Wednesday, March 12, in Ibadan, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Barrister Olasunkanmi Olaleye, said that the event would create a sustainable agricultural ecosystem that boosts food production in Nigeria.

Speaking through the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Abosede Owoeye, the Commissioner revealed that Government is investing in the State’s future through its various trainings for farmers, adding that the Engr. Seyi Makinde-led administration recognizes the crucial role farmers play in ensuring food security and economic prosperity.

According to Olasunkanmi, “the training programme encompasses various areas. Six hundred and sixty farmers will receive training on pasture establishment, management, conservation, and artificial insemination techniques while 300 farmers will learn about climate-smart agriculture, focusing on high-value crop production and effective weed management strategies.

“One hundred and forty young farmers will receive training on beekeeping practices;100 participants will learn about shea butter production techniques; 90 participants will receive training on locust bean processing methods and 660 youths, women, and retirees will receive specialized training on mushroom cultivation across all zones in the State.”

Barrister Olaleye therefore urged the participants to take full advantage of the training, emphasising that the Government has engaged expert resource persons to ensure a comprehensive learning experience.

Expert at the event included scholars from the University of Ibadan, including Prof. Olusola Olorunnisomo and Dr. Adewunmi Adesina, Mr. Tunmise Olagbaju, and bee Specialist, Mr. Kola Ajao, among others.

Oyo State Government has begun the first phase of distribution of motorcycles to Agricultural Extension Officers across the State as a demonstration of its determination to boost agricultural extension services in the State.

Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Barr. Olasunkanmi Olaleye, who gave out 15 motorcycles to the agricultural extension officers on Tuesday, noted that they serve as links between researchers and farmers.

According to him, extension officers play a critical role in the dissemination of innovations and technologies to smallholder farmers to enhance productivity and improve farmers’ standard of living and ensure food security in the State.

He explained that the Governor Seyi Makinde administration will focus on addressing some of the pressing challenges facing agricultural extension services, including systemic decline driven by several key factors.

He said: “I am highly delighted to welcome you to the distribution of BAJAJ motorcycles to Officers/Extension Agents in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

“Agricultural Extension Officers (Agents) are the link between the researchers and the farmers. They play a critical role in the dissemination of innovations and technologies to the smallholder farmers, which will invariably increase their productivity and improve their standard of living and ensure food security in the State.

“Therefore, the Oyo State Government, under the leadership of Governor Seyi Makinde, approved the purchase of BAJAJ motorcycles for the Agricultural Extension Agents in the State to enhance agricultural extension service delivery.

“You will all agree with me that one of the most pressing challenges facing the Agricultural Extension Officers is the systemic decline, driven by several key factors which include critical shortage of Extension Agents due to retirements without adequate replacement.

“Other factors are young people’s reluctance to pursue careers in agriculture and entrepreneurship, lack of sufficient training and professional development of extension agents and lack of proper transportation resources, making it difficult for them to reach and serve farmers in remote villages.

“In ameliorating the observed challenges, the present administration has embarked on programmes, projects and provision of manpower, including this distribution of BAJAJ motorcycles that we are witnessing today.

“Other interventions include: Start Them Early Programme (STEP) to encourage agricultural interest in secondary school students being replicated in eight zones of Oyo State. The Government just concluded the recruitment of 161 officers across cadres in the Ministry.

“Last year, we also embarked on the training of 131 Extension Agents across the 33 LGAs and LCDAs on the use of digital applications to measure farmland under the 50 per cent tractorisation subsidy programme of the Sustainable Action for Economic Recovery (SAfER).

“Also, we embarked on the 50 per cent tractorisation subsidy programme under SAfER where 1,487 farmers benefited, and a total of 6,009.4083 acres of land was ploughed throughout the State.

“On this note, I have the singular honour and privilege to implore the beneficiaries to maximise the opportunity to bridge the gap between researchers and farmers to boost food production, improve livelihoods and promote sustainable agricultural service delivery.”

Earlier in her welcome address, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mrs Abosede Owoeye, noted that the distribution of the motorcycles to Agricultural Extension Officers across the State would serve as tools of transformation, as they will be able to access remote farming communities more efficiently, respond promptly to farmers’ needs and also deliver timely agricultural advisory services.

She appreciated the dedication and steadfastness of the Extension Officers in the State for their contribution and achievement in the 50 per cent tractorisation programme of the State Government under the SAfER programme in 2024.

She urged them to ensure improved agricultural extension service delivery in the State.

Speaking on behalf of the Agricultural Extension Officers, Mr Akanbi Ademola thanked Governor Makinde for improving the agriculture sector and promised to complement the efforts of the State Government to ensure food security in the State.

… reveals 100 Communities  soil Testing Result.

As part of its proactive measures  to ensure food security and sustainable agricultural practices, Oyo State Government has trained farmers on climate-resilient practices, in line with the 2025 rainfall prediction by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet).

Speaking on the importance of the training to farmers and  the State at large, the State Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Barrister Olasunkanmi Olaleye said the training program is designed to educate farmers on innovative agricultural practices that can help them adapt to the predicted rainfall patterns and mitigate the impacts of climate change.

According to Barrister Olaleye, the training focuses on educating farmers on innovative agricultural practices, stressed that the practices include Drought-Tolerant Crops, Irrigation Management, Soil Conservation, and Organic Farming Practices, which can help farmers build resilience to climate-related shocks

The Commissioner equally revealed that 22,370 farmers were trained on good agricultural  practices during OCP soil testing adding that the results of soil testing conducted in 100 communities across the State in collaboration with OCP Africa would help farmers to know the types of crops to be planted in the said land, adding that the initiative would provide farmers with valuable insights into the nutrient content and fertility of their soils, enabling them to make decisions about fertilizer application and crop selection.

The Agric. commissioner explained that, according to the 2025 Seasonal Climate Prediction from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, the state is anticipated to experience varying dry spell conditions across different Local Government Areas.

In her earlier address of welcome, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development,  Mrs. Abosede Owoeye, revealed  that by providing farmers with access to climate information, soil testing results, and training on climate-resilient practices, the Oyo State Government under the leadership of Engr seyi Makinde is demonstrating its commitment to supporting the State’s agricultural sector and ensuring food security for its citizens.

She therefore urged the participants to consider the training as train the trainers and ensure every aspect of the training is considered as importance.

In his goodwill message, the State Chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria, Adewunmi Abass, praised the Government’s initiatives to bolster agriculture and food security.

The Chairman said, “The path forward lies in our collective commitment to adopting smart agricultural practices that not only foster resilience against climate change but also promote sustainable and profitable farming.”

“Let us recognize our role as stewards of the land, working to ensure a safer, more sustainable future for generations to come.”

The training was attended by well resource persons such as Professor Samuel Olakojo from IAR&T, Professor Mrs Morufat Balogun from IITA/UI, Dr. Nureni Ayanniyi from NCRI, Baale Agbes, Director of Agrics across the LGAs, Women in Agric and many more.

Adesoji Olusegun.

Media Officer,

MA&RD.

The Oyo State Government has mandated residents of the State to vaccinate their dogs and cats against the dreaded rabies disease.

The mandate was contained in a release issued today, by the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Barrister Olasunkanmi Olaleye, drawing the residents’ attention to the importance of such vaccination.

Recall that this year’s World Rabies Day was marked on September 28, 2024, with the theme “Breaking Rabies Boundary.”

Oyo State marked the event with a program that brought together veterinary professionals, pet owners, and community members in a united front against this deadly disease.

Olasunkanmi said, “All dogs and cats owners who have not vaccinated their pets should do so immediately by visiting the veterinary centres in the State”.

Barrister Olasunkanmi hinted that from research, majority of rabies cases involve dog bites hence the present Government in the State is sensitizing the general public on the needs to keep their dogs or animals in confined areas and vaccinate them regularly.

He said that it is against the Oyo State Dog Law 2019 to allow dogs to rove around without its owner.

According him, the best way to prevent rabies in humans is by vaccination of dogs and cats, at least once a year.

The Commissioner, said human rabies death according to research is 100 percent preventable with prompt vaccination of dogs and cats.

He explained that having discovered that over 70 percent of infectious diseases in humans originate from animals- Zoonotic, Oyo State Government has embarked on an all inclusive method to control rabies and other zoonotics diseases.

Olaleye said the Government has executed free mass vaccination of cattle under the Sustainable Action for Economic Recovery (SAfER) initiative.

He added that the Government in collaboration with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and the Livestock Productivity and Reseilince Support Project (L-Press) on 19th of August, 2024, trained veterinary Officers.

Olasunkanmi however added that refusal to vaccinate dogs and pets annually is an offence against the Oyo State Dog Law 2019, with fine of Two Hundred and Fifty Naira (#250,000) only or six months imprisonment or both.

In a related development, the Chairman Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association, Oyo State Chapter, Dr. John Famoyin commended Oyo State Government for its various efforts in preventing zoonotics diseases noting that September 28th every year is the World Rabies Day.

He however urged Government at all levels to ensure implementation of Dog Law.

E-signed:

Prince Dotun Oyelade,

Commissioner for Information and Orientation,

Oyo State.