No fewer than 8,800 small-holder farmers across the 20 local councils of Ogun State have benefitted from the free agricultural inputs and assets as well as infrastructural support through the OGUN-CARES FADAMA to further boost the outputs of farming enterprises in the state.
Items distributed include 14,000-day-old chicks, 560 bags of chick feed, 209 fish feed, 500 bags of fertiliser, eight motorised sprayers, and 75 rechargeable knapsack sprayers.
Other supports are 24 roads, which were rehabilitated, including culverts, water drainages, and provision of boreholes for water supply at four wet markets where food processing takes place to increase hygiene and reduce food contamination.
The state’s Commissioner for Agriculture, BoluOwotomo, who spoke during the presentation of the items to the benefiting farmers at OGUN-CARES FADAMA premises, OGADEP, Idi-Aba, Abeokuta, said the state governor, Dapo Abiodun, acknowledged the plight of farmers occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic and was passionate about alleviating their plights through various intervention programmes.
Owotomo gave kudos to the farmers who, despite the prevailing economic challenges, plant and process food for people’s consumption, thus contributing their quota to the government’s strive to ensure good security.
He, therefore, implored farmers who are yet to benefit from the project to be patient as the distributions would be done in batches.
He also enjoined the beneficiaries to join hands with FADAMA team and make judicious use of the items to maximise the inherent profits.
Earlier, Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Samuel Adeogun, said over 10,000 farmers had been assisted in the previous distributions across the state and they had been sending good reports on how the project bettered their lots.
The ministry has presented seven motorcycles to field officers in the produce department to enhance their performance and improve revenue generation, particularly in areas with challenging terrain.
Owotomo promised that future phases would address the needs of the remaining officers and zones.
Meanwhile, market stalls, lock-up shops and solar-powered boreholes have been commissioned by the state government to enhance the linkage and agro-processing capacity of farmers and their communities.
Owotomo, while speaking at the commissioning of agricultural infrastructural support to farmers under OGUN (IFAD ASSISTED VCDP- AF) held at Imodi, Odogbolu, Atan in Ijebu North East and Ijebu-Imusin in Ijebu East local councils of the state, noted that provision of the facilities was more than physical structures because it symbolises collective efforts to empower farmers and to also provide them with the tools and resources needed to thrive.
