Modupe Gbadeyanka
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
No fewer than 165 farmers have been trained by the Oyo State government on cultivation, pest control and processing of improved varieties of three staple crops.
The trainees comprising youths and women underwent the training, which included planting and processing of Orange-Fleshed Sweet Potato (OFSP), Vitamin A Cassava and Vitamin A maize.
The aim was to improve the quality of nutrition and value addition in the state.
The one-day programme was organized in collaboration with the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) and took place at the House of Chiefs, Parliament Building, Secretariat, Ibadan, the state capital.
The Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr Olasunkanmi Olaleye, who declared the event open, advised farmers to adopt good agricultural practices in the cultivation of improved varieties of crops, noting that the training will guarantee more yield per hectare and for value addition.
Mr Olaleye disclosed that the Training the Trainer programme was another focused effort of the government to alleviate the hardship caused by the removal of fuel subsidy, advising farmers in the state to embrace improved varieties of cassava stems as they have enormous benefits and give more yield per hectare.
He reaffirmed the efforts of the state government on Sustainable Action for Economic Recovery (SAfER) initiatives the state government on distribution of 400kg of maize grains to each poultry farmer in the state where 2665 farmers benefitted; 1000 fish farmers across the state also received fish feeds while 100kg of palm kernel cake (PKC) and 2 bottles of disinfectants would be given to 1000 pig farmers each.
The Commissioner said the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development will henceforth carry along the Directors of Agriculture in all the 33 local government areas of the state in every activity organized by the Ministry to reach out to the grassroots.
In her welcome address, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mrs Christiana Abioye, said the seminar was another milestone in the history of the Ministry in a time like this when the whole country is passing through a hard time of food scarcity and hunger.
On her part, the Head of Policy, Advocacy and Communication at GAIN, Ms Joyce Akpata, commended the state government for creating a conducive environment which allows them to operate among other participating states.
Speaking on behalf of the farmers, the Chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) Oyo State chapter, Mr Adewumi Abass, thanked the government for its numerous ongoing efforts to ensure food security in the state adding that with these efforts, Oyo State would indeed be a food basket of Nigeria.
