By Wasiu Owolewa
After taking the oath of office in 2022, Gov. Biodun Oyebanji, in his inaugural speech, promised to further develop the agriculture sector by attracting more investment in agri-business. He aimed to enhance the processing capacity of both staple and cash crops, ensuring food security and boosting the country’s non-oil exports.
He stated, “We have a responsibility to support our farmers with facilitated adequate financing, value chain support, access to markets, skills, and technology to increase productivity within the sector. This will enable practitioners to provide food for the state and for exports while creating much-needed jobs and opportunities. Priority will be given to strategic crops, including cassava, rice, cocoa, cashew, maize, yam, and vegetables.”
Governor Oyebanji did not just make these promises but followed them with decisive action. He embarked on various initiatives to make the agriculture sector in the state more viable and impactful. The initiatives implemented by the BAO-led administration to develop the agricultural sector include the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA), Ekiti State Agricultural Development Programme (EADP), Tractorization Policy, Farm Input Subsidy, Agricultural Extension Services, Irrigation Projects, Agricultural Market Development, Youth in Agriculture Program, Agricultural Research, and Private Sector Collaboration.
Recently, the Governor signed a multi-billion naira, 100,000-hectare Cassava Revolution MOU with Agbeyewa, a subsidiary of CAVISTA Holdings, as part of his Private Sector Collaboration initiative. This aims to provide massive job opportunities for youths and drive industrialization in the state. The Governor also launched the YSJ Bring Back The Youth in Agric Planting Season project and distributed farming equipment and seedlings to young farmers in Oke Ako, a town in the Ikole local government area.
Additionally, as part of the efforts of the BAO-led administration to boost productivity and improve farmers’ livelihoods, 12,000 hybrid cocoa seedlings were sold at a 50% subsidy to farmers. They also established a two-hectare model polyclonal cashew farm/scion garden at Erinfun in Ado-Ekiti and renovated an agricultural farm building at Erinfun.
Governor Oyebanji, not relenting in his efforts to revolutionize the agriculture sector, revealed to the people of Ekiti during the distribution of palliatives at Osuntokun Pavilion, Government House Grounds, Ado-Ekiti, that his government has prepared a total of 2,000 hectares of land to be allocated to interested Ekiti farmers. This is in addition to the provision of farm inputs, fertilizer, and extension services. He added that the government will ensure the purchase of the output of their farms.
With the various initiatives implemented by the Governor, Ekiti is poised to become the food basket of the nation in no distant time. The Governor should be applauded for his laudable achievements in the agriculture sector.