>
By Emmanuel Adeleke
In order to boost agriculture and encourage farmers in Oyo State, the state government in collaboration with Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) have trained 165 youths and women farmers on cultivation, pest control and processing of improved varieties of three staple crops.
According to the statement signed by the Commissioner for Information, Prince Dotun Oyelade, on Friday, 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 at the House of Chiefs, Parliament Building, Secretariat Ibadan, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Barrister Olasunkanmi Olaleye advised farmers to adopt good agricultural practices.
Olaleye said the training will enhance and enriched nutritional content of food production and food security in the state.
“The training will guarantee more yield per hectare and for value addition,” he said
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 efforts of the state government on Sustainable Action for Economic Recovery (SAfER) initiatives on distribution of 400kg of maize grains to each poultry farmers in the state where 2665 farmers benefitted; 1000 fish farmers 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 Government Areas of the state in every activity organised by the ministry in order to reach out to the grassroot.
In her 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 in a time like this when the whole country is passing through a hard time of food scarcity and hunger.
Abioye commended the government for the support to farmers, stressing that cassava production in the country required good agronomic practices for high yield.
Also, 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 four Local Government Areas in the state but due to prioritisation 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 appreciated 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.