The Oyo State Government has trained 165 youths and women farmers on cultivation, pest control and processing  of improved  varieties of three stabble crops.

According to the Government, the training, which includes planting and processing of Orange -Fleshed Sweet Potato (OFSP), Vitamin A Cassava and Vitamin A maize will enhance quality nutrition and value addition.

Declaring the One-day Training open, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Barrister Olasunkanmi Olaleye advised farmers to adopt good agricultural practices in the cultivation of improved varieties of crops.

The training which was organised in collaboration with Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition GAIN, held at House of chiefs, parliament building secretariat Ibadan.

Olaleye said youths and women in the State are being taught on how to plant and process Orange Fleshed sweet potato, Vitamin A cassava and vitamin A maize to enhance and enriched nutritional content of food production and food  security in Oyo State.

According to him, the training will guarantee more yield per hectare and for value addition.

The commissioner added that this ‘Training the Trainer’ is another focused effort of the Government to alleviate the hardship caused by the removal of fuel subsidy.

He advised farmers in the State to embrace improved varieties of cassava stems as they have enormous benefits and give more yield per hectare.

The Commissioner reaffirmed the effort of the State Government on Sustainable Action for Economic Recovery (SAfER) initiatives of the State Government on distribution of 400kg of maize grains to each poultry farmers in the State where 2665 farmers benefitted; 1000 fish farmers across the State also received fish feeds while 100kg of palm kernel cake (PKC) and 2 bottles of disinfectants would be given to 1000 pig farmers each

He added that the ministry of agriculture and rural development will henceforth carry along the directors of agriculture in all the 33 local govt areas of the State in every activity organised by the ministry in order to reach out to the grassroot.

In her welcome address, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural development, Mrs. Christiana Abioye said the seminar is another milestone in the history of the ministry of agriculture and rural development in a time like this when the whole country is passing through a hard time of food scarcity and hunger.

Abioye who commended the Government for the support to farmers, observed that cassava production in the country required good agronomic practices for high yield.

In her remarks, the head of Policy, Advocacy and Communication, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition, Barrister Joyce Akpata commended the Oyo State Government for creating a conducive environment which allows them to operate among other participating States.

She stressed that GAIN has been operating in 4 local governments in the State but due to prioritization in agriculture by the present Government under the leadership of Engr. Seyi Makinde, the opportunity has been extended to the 33 local governments in the State.

She affirmed that by extension, the move would increase the nutrition intake of the citizen through massive production.

Speaking on behalf of the Farmers, the Chairman, All Farmers Association of Nigeria AFAN, Oyo State chapter, Adewumi Abass thanked Government for it’s numerous ongoing efforts to ensure food security in the State adding that with these efforts, Oyo State would indeed be a food basket of Nigeria.

Present at the training were the Chairman, House Committee on Agriculture, Hon. Ojedokun Peter; Chairman House Committee on Women Affairs and member, Committee on agriculture, Hon. Mrs Olufunke Comforter, Professor Mrs Folake Samuel among others.

Adesoji O.O.

Media Officer

MA&RD

Following its pledges to subsidize 50% farm land cutting to enhance food security, Oyo State Government has begun training of its agricultural Extension Officers and Directors of Agriculture  across the local government on farmers booking applications.

The State Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Barrister Olasunkanmi, while declaring open the training at the House of Chiefs, Agodi, State Secretariat, said the training was in collaboration with Hello Tractor Organization, saying the training will help the beneficiaries on how to use the application to register the details of farmers such as their local government, farm location and the coordinate of their farm lands.

The Commissioner added that the application would enable the Government to have the details of farmers in the State.

Barrister Olasunkanmi hinted that the application would help in knowing the acres of land to be cultivated, the types of crops and the size of land farmers wish to invest in, as this would enable the Government to come to their aid.

According, to him, Oyo State Government is training the participants on farmers booking applications, this will help the Government to know the details of the farmers such as the size of the farm, crops type and more.

He stated further the application will equally reveal the location of the farm right from the Office and will also help in monitoring activities of the Agric Extension Officers across the 33-local governments.

The Commissioner explained that the present Government in the State would leave no stone unturned  to ensure farmers are encouraged through various support by  eliminating their sufferings, stressing that this would enhance food security in the State.

In her welcome address, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mrs. Christianah Abioye urged the participants to pay rapt  attention to the training, saying that after their retirement, they can as well be an agent to the Hello Tractors Organization.

While encouraging  farmers on the need to take proper coordinate of farmers’ farm land, the General Manager, Agricultural Credit Cooperation of Oyo State, Comrade Ogundiran said the training coincided with the planting season in which farmers would need more funds to clear land for farming.

He thanked the Government for being proactive in ensuring food security in the State.

In her address, the Team Lead and facilitator, Hello Tractor Organization LTD, Miss Blessing Agu, commended the Oyo State Government for its various ongoing efforts in supporting framers in the State, saying that farmers are facing many challenges,  this according to her, has drastically reduced food production in the country and Oyo State at large.

In a bid to ensure more farmers in Oyo State have access to Agricultural loan schemes, the State Government has taken steps to ease up the guarantor’s requirements for the ongoing SAfER/ACCOS scheme.

This was announced in a statement issued and signed by the Chairman of the Agricultural Credit Corporation of Oyo State (ACCOS), Sheik Taofeek Akeugbagold.

The statement indicated that the development will allow executive members of the farmers’ association to stand as guarantors for their group members requesting that the  SAfER/ACCOS Agric loan aligns with Governor Makinde’s commitment to supporting the agricultural sector in the State.

It further explained that the directive will expand the pool of potential guarantors beyond Civil Servants on Grade Level 7 and above, making it more accessible for farmers to meet the loan conditions set by the participating banks.

The Chairman also emphasized in the statement that the change in the guarantor’s requirements will benefit farmers who may not have the means to secure civil servant(s) as a guarantor and as such, allow executive members of registered farmers associations to fulfil this role, hence making more farmers to access the necessary financial support to invest in their agricultural activities.

Additionally, the statement reminded previous beneficiaries of the SAfER/ACCOS loan in December 2023 and January 2024 to start repaying their loans to the respective disbursing banks as timely repayment is crucial to ensuring the sustainability of the loan scheme while also, allowing other farmers to benefit from the intervention.