OGUN TO BENEFIT FROM FG’S AGRIC PILOT PROGRAMMES

  Ogun State has been slated to benefit from three Federal Government’s Agricultural pilot programmes, including Integrated Farm Estate, Garri Packaging Plant and a training programme on soil testing and extension service for 200 young graduates with Science and Agriculture related degrees.

The Executive Secretary, National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA), Prince Paul Ikonne who made this known at the Governor's office, Abeokuta, when he led a team to the Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, noted that the programmes would further improve the ratings of the State as the food basket of the country.

Ikonne explained that the Integrated Farm Estate that would be cited in the three Senatorial Districts of the State, for the production to processing, packaging and marketing, adding that the Garri Packaging Plant would give farmers the opportunity to add value to their produce.

"We are running programmes and projects which Ogun State has been slated to be one of the pilot States, NALDA's Integrated Farm Estate is going to be cited in the three Senatorial Districts of the State, the Integrated Farm Estate is a concept that takes in everything from production to processing, packaging and marketing, we also have residential areas for farmers inside the integrated Farm Estate.

"Knowing that Ogun State has the highest capacity in cassava production, our Garri Packaging Plant will be cited in the State, thereby NALDA will be the off-taker from the farmers, we process it, package it accordingly and move it into the market.

"We are training young Nigerians in accordance with the directive of the President on soil testing and extension service, so Ogun State is expected to nominate 200 young graduates that have Agric and Science related degrees that will undertake this intensive two weeks training in the first phase.

"They will be empowered by NALDA with Soil Test Kits and implements to collect soil samples after the training and they will begin to generate money for themselves, thereby making a living from the programme", he said.

The Executive Secretary stated that the authority would not sit back and watch the State improve the worth of agriculture alone, but would also re-activate the 700 hectares of land at Joga-Orile.

In his response, the Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun who attributed the success of his administration's agriculture project to the support of the President Muhammadu Buhari led government, said agriculture is a triple barrel pillar that allows the State to feed its people, create employment, as well as generate revenue.

Abiodun who noted that the government had started the construction of International Cargo airport, that seats on 5,000 hectares of land to its advantage, to boost the agric sector, in order to become a special agric processing zone, assured NALDA that his administration would support them with land and other logistics required for the successful implementation of the programmes.