The Ogun State government has reaffirmed its commitment towards ensuring food security through the state agricultural value chain and the Anchor Borrowers’ Scheme initiated to enhance farmers productivity.
Speaking against the backdrop of many initiatives designed to help farmers upscale their productivities in the state and the recent 80 hectares cassava farmland initiative, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Bolu Owotomo, disclosed that the state government had already keyed into the Federal Government’s programme on cash and food crops agenda, in order to ensure food security for the teaming population.
He stated that part of the programme is to encourage youths and women to engage in farming activities, as well as encourage backyard farming for food sufficiency in the state.
The commissioner explained that most of the intervention programmes are not designed to last forever, but designed to scale the farmers’ productivity in the state.
He noted that the state has the largest fish farm in the whole of West Africa region, noting that to enhance their productivity and create expansion, the present administration has provided 100 hectares of land and also disbursed loan worth N50m with zero interest rate for the fish clusters farmers in Eriwe fish farm.
Owotomo added that some farmers in Ipokia had complained about flooding and dredging as impediment to their survival and the government responded to their needs.
He explained that though there are silos in the state, but not working maximally, noting that the government through its public private partnership is looking forward for private sector sponsors to revitalise and refurbish some of the silos in the state.
“Recall that last year the Federal Government released over 24,000 bags of fertilisers to farmers, this was stored in one of our storage facility, and a lot of maize was also released to farmers as well. This was also stored in the state silos from where the farmers are offtaking from.”
While speaking on parameters that the ministry is using to drive change,Owotomo noted that the government through its activities is ready to enhance farmers’ value chain to make more money, elevate farmers’ productivity through the anchor borrowers scheme, as well as revitalisation of all agricultural assets in the state.
