By Joy Akinsanya
Gov. Dapo Abiodun of Ogun on Friday distributed farm inputs, tools and digital units to assist 10,000 rice and cassava farmers within the state.
The distribution was held throughout the 2026 World Food Day celebration held in Abeokuta, with the theme: “Innovate Today, Nourish Tomorrow”.
The initiative was applied in collaboration with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) by means of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security below the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) Programme.
Abiodun mentioned the initiative was aimed toward growing agricultural productiveness, lowering manufacturing prices and strengthening meals safety.
He disclosed that objects to be distributed embrace subsidised fertilisers, herbicides, improved planting supplies, 10 tractors, different agricultural tools, and 1,200 android telephones.
“Under the programme, 2,000 rice farmers and 8,000 cassava farmers will receive two bags of fertiliser and one bag of urea each.
“The cassava farmers will also receive 25 bundles of cassava stems each, while rice farmers will get three litres of herbicides and cassava farmers, 10 litres each.
“Farmers will also be given 1,200 android phones, which are already equipped with applications providing weather information, market prices and guidance on improved farming practices,” he mentioned.
He mentioned the units would allow farmers to entry well timed data, make knowledgeable manufacturing choices and enhance their hyperlinks to agricultural markets.
Abiodun mentioned that the ten tractors, 20 rice planters, and transplanters, eight threshers, and farm tricycle trailers and different tools would assist farm settlements and farmers’ associations throughout the state
He added that it could promote mechanised farming to cut back the burden of handbook labour.
According to the governor, his administration is dedicated to remodeling agriculture right into a worthwhile, technology-driven sector able to creating jobs, attracting funding and contributing to nationwide meals safety.
“We established the Ogun State Agricultural Land Management Agency (OSALMA) to facilitate access to land and promote a responsible and inclusive framework for land-intensive agricultural investment,” he mentioned.
He disclosed that his administration had accomplished 28 agricultural tasks within the final two years throughout crop manufacturing, aquaculture and poultry.
He mentioned the tasks included photo voltaic dryers, warehouses, cassava processing centres and a poultry processing plant at Ajegunle Farm Settlement in Odeda Local Government Area of the state.
According to him, the poultry facility can course of 5,000 birds every day, equal to about 1.3 million birds yearly.
Abiodun mentioned the state had additionally procured 39 tractors, 4 self-propelled harvesters and different agricultural tools to enhance mechanisation.
On youth empowerment, he mentioned greater than 200 younger individuals had acquired coaching in soilless farming by means of a partnership with Soilless Farm Lab.
He added that start-up assist had additionally been supplied to assist the beneficiaries set up their very own agricultural companies.
“Our goal is to process more locally, retain greater value and create more jobs. We seek partnerships that create jobs, transfer knowledge, empower farmers and develop local capacity,” he mentioned.
Abiodun urged traders to discover alternatives in business farming, agro-processing, livestock manufacturing, aquaculture, irrigation, mechanisation, storage and cold-chain amenities.
He assured traders of the state authorities’s readiness to assist accountable agricultural investments.
The governor counseled President Bola Tinubu for his efforts to strengthen native fertiliser manufacturing and enhance farmers’ entry to agricultural inputs.
He additionally acknowledged the contributions of the spouse of the President, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, to initiatives supporting ladies farmers.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Mr Bolu Owotomo, mentioned the World Food Day highlighted the significance of entry to nutritious and reasonably priced meals to human dignity and sustainable growth.
Owotomo mentioned innovation was important to constructing a resilient meals system and referred to as for elevated funding in ladies and younger individuals by means of entry to land, finance, coaching and expertise.
He disclosed that greater than 12,000 farmers had benefited from coaching and agricultural inputs below Ogun State Economic Transformation Project (OGSTEP).
The commissioner mentioned the most recent interventions targeted on digital empowerment, mechanisation and subsidised farm inputs for two,000 rice farmers and eight,000 cassava farmers.
“Beneficiaries will contribute 30 per cent of the cost of the inputs, depending on the category, while the government will cover the remaining 70 per cent through its partnership with IFAD,” he mentioned
In his keynote tackle, Prof. Kolawole Adebayo, a former Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, mentioned Ogun was strategically positioned to contribute to Nigeria’s meals safety due to its agricultural potential and proximity to main client markets.
Adebayo mentioned the state’s 1.2 million hectares of arable land provided important alternatives for agro-industrial funding.
He referred to as for an built-in transportation community linking rail, highway, water and air transport to facilitate the motion of agricultural produce, protect high quality and cut back post-harvest losses.
He counseled the state authorities for creating agro-industrial processing zones, enhancing land-clearing companies for smallholder farmers and increasing entry to agricultural inputs.
Adebayo additionally recognized the Farmer Information Management System and the institution of the Nigerian Food Bank in Ogun as initiatives able to strengthening meals safety.
Dr Kabiru Yusuf, the National Programme Coordinator of the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones Programme, counseled the governor for supporting the agricultural sector.
Yusuf, represented by the National Agriculture Expert, Dr Louis Enaberue, urged beneficiaries to make efficient use of the tools and farm inputs to enhance manufacturing.
In his goodwill message, the South-West Coordinator of the Commodity Farmers Association of Nigeria, Mr Segun Dasaolu, mentioned the interventions would strengthen agricultural growth and assist farmers throughout the area.
Speaking on behalf of farm settlers within the state, Mr Rotimi Sogunle thanked the governor for supporting farming communities and described OGSTEP as a big intervention within the state’s agricultural sector.
NAN studies that spotlight of the celebration was the symbolic presentation of tractors, agricultural tools, android telephones, fertilisers, herbicides and different farm inputs to beneficiaries. (NAN)
Edited by Yetunde Fatungase
