Gov. Dapo Abiodun of Ogun has been commended for transforming the state agricultural sector since his re-election in May 2023.
The governor was commended by stakeholders in the sector in separate interviews in Abeokuta on Thursday
The respondents, however, identified the sector’s challenges, expressing their expectations from the government.
Ogun Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Bolu Owotomo, said the Dapo Abiodun-led administration had greatly changed the state agricultural sector.
Owotomo noted that about 30,352 farmers had benefitted from various input distributions at 50 per cent subsidy, organised under various intervention programmes to boost farmers’ productivity.
According to him, the inputs include fertilisers, urea, herbicides, cassava bundles, faro, ofada rice and maize seeds.
“Recently, we flagged off the 2024 planting season and agro-inputs distribution to cassava and maize farmers in the state at 50 per cent subsidy; agro inputs worth ₦100 million were distributed to farm settlers and other farmers.
“Capacity building was also organised for over 46,000 smallholders on sustainable agriculture, improved knowledge and productivity under the Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP), OG-CARES Fadama RA 2 Project and Ogun State Agricultural Development Programme (OGADEP).
“The ministry carried out reforms on agricultural land allocation on investors to enhance access to agricultural land.
“A total of 8,550 hectares of land had been allocated to private investors across the state on different agricultural value chains in the last one year,” he said.
The commissioner disclosed that 29 solar-powered irrigation pumps were distributed to farmers to support dry-season rice and vegetable production in wetland areas in Nov. 2023.
Owotomo added that an awareness campaign on disease preventive measures was organised across the state for about 5,000 farmers.
“They were told how to combat the spread of diseases, especially African Swine Fever and Bird Flu.
“No fewer than 328,000 doses of Anthrax Vaccine were received from the Federal Government, out of which 40,000 doses have been used to vaccinate ruminant animals, while the remaining 288,000 vaccinations will commence soon,” he said.
He stated that over 28.2 million eggs were produced in the state by the various actors in the poultry value chain.
He added that oil palm farmers produced 11,933,612 fresh fruit bunches that produced 9,978,290 litres of special palm oil in the state.
The commissioner recalled that OGSTEP supported 4,000 farmers in cultivating a total of 4,050 hectares of land to boost food production across the state.
On agricultural loans, he said the state government, through its ministry of agriculture, disbursed a loan of N50 million to the Ijebu Development Initiative on Poverty Reduction (IDIPR), Eriwe, Ijebu-Ode.
Owotomo added that the state also linked VCDP 587 beneficiaries, who were farmers, to financial credits with First City Monument Bank (FCMB) across eight participating council areas.
He added that 95 smallholders accessed loans from FCMB for cassava and rice production valued at N26.7 million.
On fish farming, the commissioner stated that 285 fish farmers were assisted with smoking kilns, while 73 others were linked with processors for value addition services.
“A total of 247 farmers were also trained on fish farming production; 15 farmers assisted into grass-cutter production, while 25 farmers were assisted into snail production,” he said.
He said that within the year, the state had experienced an increased participation of youths and women in agriculture.
He noted that the development was essential for promoting gender equality and sustainable development in agriculture in the state.
“We have distributed planting materials to 150 cassava women farmers in collaboration with the National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA) in Sept. 2023.
“Also, 40 VCDP beneficiaries were provided with Point of Sales (POS) machines to the tune of N10 million to enhance cashless transactions in their agriculture businesses.
“The ministry, in collaboration with Amobyn, a private firm, had also empowered 100 women in the state with 1,000 noiler birds and 100 bags of poultry feeds.
“A total of 3,436 young people were recently registered to participate in Enterprise Initiative for Youths in Agriculture (EIYA) under the Soilless Farm Lab in Ogun State.
“Currently, 25 youths are undergoing the training, after which another batch will commence training,” he said.
The said others include the construction of about 64 market stalks for farmers and the completion of the needs assessment of the rehabilitation of eight farm settlements across the state.
The commissioner specified training, the inclusion of more youths and women in agriculture and effective mechanised farming as major plans for the future.
He, however, identified the lack of adequate funds, climate change and insecurity as major challenges facing the sector.
Mr Abiodun Ogunjimi, Secretary of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Ogun branch, also commended the state government for its support to farmers in the last one year.
Ogunjimi corroborated Owotomo on the government’s loan support for farmers, various trainings, and inputs distribution, but called for the creation of an enabling environment through increased investment in agriculture.
The AFAN secretary called for farmers’ inclusion in the state’s formulation of agricultural policies for successful implementation.
He calls for an effective monitoring and evaluation team to ensure that the benefits of government gestures in agriculture do not end up with “political farmers”.
Ogunjimi said the government must step up measures to address security issues, explaining that “farmers have continued to abandon farms for fear of hoodlums”.
He advised the government to ensure that loan facilities to farmers attract a single-digit rate and rehabilitate farm settlements to attract more youths into agriculture.
Mr Jamiu Adebukunola, Chairman of the Ogun Youth Farmers’ Association, says the government has done well to consider the youth in its agricultural agenda.
According to Adebukunola, the last one year witnessed the government focusing on supporting youth and women farmers.
He recalled that youth farmers in the state recently benefitted from the OGSTEP intervention programme in which support in grants and inputs was given to the farmers.
He, however, stressed the need for the government to promise mechanised farming to increase youth participation and productivity.
“The usage of cutlasses and hoes is a major factor discouraging most youths from embracing farming,” he said.
Adebukunola identified land clearing and preparation as some challenges confronting youth farmers.
He expressed concern that getting labourers to work on the farms had continued to be difficult, resulting in low productivity.
He urged the state government to provide easy land access to young farmers and called on the state and national assembly members to replicate the same efforts in their constituencies.