Federal Government has selected Ogun State to benefit from its three pilot programmes in agriculture, 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 made this known recently at the Governor's office, Abeokuta, when he led a team to the Governor Dapo Abiodun
He said 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, has facilities for production to processing, packaging and marketing
He added that the Garri Packaging Plant would give farmers the opportunity to add value to their produce.
His words,"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", Ikonne stated
"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", NALDA boss added .
"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.
Responding, Governor Dapo Abiodun attributed the success of his administration's agriculture project to the support of the President Muhammadu Buhari led government, saying agriculture is a triple barrel pillar that allows the State to feed its people, create employment, as well as generate revenue.
Abiodun stated that the government had started the construction of International Cargo airport on 5,000 hectares of land , to boost the agric sector
The Governor who described the state as a special agric processing zone, assured NALDA that his administration would support trainees with land and other logistics required for the successful implementation of the programmes
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