Oyo Govt Trains 165 Farmers On Improved Techniques Of Cultivation
Dele Olaosebikan
THE Oyo State government has trained 165 youths and women farmers on cultivation, pest control and processing of improved varieties of three staple crops.
According to the government, 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, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Barrister Olasunkanmi Olaleye advised farmers to adopt good agricultural practices in the cultivation of improved varieties of crops.
The training was organised in collaboration with the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), held at the House of Chiefs, Parliament Building, Secretariat Ibadan.
Olaleye said youths and women in the state are being taught how to plant and process Orange Fleshed Sweet Potato, Vitamin A Cassava and Vitamin A Maize to enhance and enrich the nutritional content of food production and food security in the state.
According to him, the training will guarantee more yield per hectare and value addition.
The Commissioner added that the “Training the Trainer’ programme was another focused effort of the government to alleviate the hardship caused by the removal of fuel subsidies.
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 of the state government on the distribution of 400kg of maize grains to each poultry farmer in the state where 2665 farmers benefitted; 1000 fish farmers across the state also 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 grassroots.
In her welcome 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 entire country is passing through a hard time of food scarcity and hunger.
Abioye, who commended the government for the support to farmers, observed that cassava production in the country required good agronomic practices for high yield.
In her remarks, the Head of Policy, Advocacy and Communication at Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition, Barrister Joyce Akpata, commended the state government for creating a conducive environment that 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 prioritization 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.
Barr. Akpata affirmed that by extension, the move would increase the nutrition intake of the citizens through massive production.
Speaking on behalf of the farmers, the Chairman, of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) Oyo State chapter, Adewumi Abass thanked the government for its 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.
Present at the training were the Chairman, House Committee on Agriculture, Hon. Ojedokun Peter; Chairman, House Committee on Women Affairs and member, Committee on Agriculture, Hon. Mrs Olufunke Comforter, Professor Mrs Folake Samuel, among others.
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