With the Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi celebrating his first year anniversary in his second coming as governor, his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) have hailed the steps taken by the governor, especially in the area of agriculture.
The party, in a statement by its Director of Media and publicity, Elder Sam Oluwalana, said since Fayemi took over after the July 14, 2018 governorship election, “Ekiti state has moved up from the bottom of value chain, the state is now the hub of investors with many of them showing interest in turning around the economy of the state.”
Listing four important steps, the party pointed out that the Fayemi-led administration is determined to nurture and grow the transformational agribusiness value chain that will enhance food security, create employment opportunities, empower women and youth in the state.
It mentioned the following steps:
- Executive approval for the clearing of over 1,554 hectares of land across five Local Government Areas (Oye, Irepodun/Ifelodun, Emure, Ido-Osi and Ilejemeje) to open up the axis for farming and fulfil its readiness to partner with multilateral donors in developing agriculture in the state.
- Forging alliance with development partners and representatives of foreign governments including China, India and Belarus in order to “bring increased trade, new markets, and sustainable development to Ekiti State.”
- Partnership with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), and International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) to participate in the implementation of FGN/IFAD Value Chain Development (VCDP). “The objective of the programme is to enhance and improve the income and food security of poor rural households that are engaged in the production, processing and marketing of rice and Cassava on a sustainable basis,” the party said.
- Agreement with the World Bank/FGN sponsored Agro-processing Productivity Enhancing and Livelihood Improvement Support Programme (APPEALS) with the overall objective of enhancing the transformational Agric Value Chain Development of Ekiti State, particularly in the areas of modernising and upgrading the existing traditional and drudgery propelled agro-processing centres for maximum productivity.
With the plan to clear a significant land area, the government has shown its commitment to activate the agrarian potential of the state and create more jobs in the agricultural sector,” the statement added
It then appealed to the people of the state to continue cooperating with the Fayemi administration, assuring that the dividends of democracy will be evenly spread across the state.
