Ogun State Government in partnership with the Federal Government under the National Agricultural Growth Scheme and Agro-Pocket has commenced distribution of 50 kg bags of fertilizer , insecticides and other inputs to targeted 2,400 small-holder farmers to ensure massive production of rice, maize and cassava as part of strategic measures to reduce food inflation in the country
Governor Dapo Abiodun flagging off the distribution of the inputs to the 492 benefiting farmers at the Obafemi -Owode Local Government Area of the State on Wednesday, stressed the need for them to properly utilize the items to actualize government's target of boosting food production for people
Governor Abiodun who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the State Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Mrs Kehinde Jokotoye however warned the farmers against selling the inputs given to them , pledging government's continuous assistance to ensure food security
He expressed confidence in the ability of the small holder farmers to expand their Agric ventures beyond current size , urging them to be more committed to massive food production, assuring them of government's readiness to increase it level of support
The State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Hon. Bolu Owotomo equally represented by the Permanent Secretary, speaking with newsmen on the sideline of the event, said that comprehensive monitoring system had been put in place by the State Government to ensure properly utilization of the inputs being distributed to farmers to achieve the major objective of food security in the state
Also speaking, the representative of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr.(Mrs) Toyin Ajayi who commended the Prince Dapo Abiodun's administration in the state for partnering with the Federal Government , described Ogun as one of the major hubs for boosting food production considering its comparative advantage in the growing of cassava, rice and maize in the country
According to her, the Federal Government will be paying 75 percent of worth of the inputs given to each of the beneficiaries while the farmers are to pay for the remaining balance of 25 percent
Similarly the State Focal Person for the Agro-Pocket Scheme, Mr. Olufemi Akiniyi explained that distribution of inputs to the targeted 2,400 farmers across the state under pilot phase commenced in Obafemi -Owode Local Government Area because of its agrarian nature with huge farmland
He urged the 492 farmers who are among the highest out of the 2,400 targeted to brace up for the challenge of ensuring the success of the pilot phase of scheme, to encourage government's to provide support for more small holders farmers in the next phase of the agric initiative
According to him, each of the rice farmers got N212,000 worth of inputs, cassava farmers received N189,500 worth of items each while maize farmers got N186,500 each worth of inputs
They are to pay just 25 percent of the worth of inputs received from the government to boost food production
High point of the event was distribution of items to representative of farmers including Mr. Ismaila Akerele a rice farmer and Yusuff Ashimiu, a maize farmer who in their separate remarks, expressed their deep appreciation to government for the support, pledging to ensure proper utilization of items to actualize the government' objective of ensuring massive food production in the country
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