The production of resources in agriculture, forestry and
fisheries, stable natural hydrological cycles, fertile soils, a balanced
climate and numerous other vital ecosystem services can only be permanently
secured through the protection and sustainable use of biological diversity.
This is an exciting time for farmers and ranchers of all types and sizes as
agriculture is a bright spot in the Ogun economy. As a result of the giant
steps taken by the incumbent governor of Ogun State since 2011, agriculture has
hit a record high and farmers have realized their highest income this year.
Still not resting on her oars, the Ogun State government is
ready to collaborate with individuals, groups, corporate bodies and governments
which possess the experience and technical know how that could be used to
improve the state's agricultural sector.
Governor Ibikunle Amosun made this declaration while
receiving in his office, a delegation of the Malaysian Ministry of Agriculture
and Agro-based Industry led by the Secretary – General of the ministry, Dato
Mohammed Hashim Abdullah.
He said his recent trip to the Asian country gave him the
conviction that the Malaysian Agricultural Ministry has the competence and
wherewithal to assist the Ogun state government in all areas of agricultural
development.
“In this collaboration, we are starting with 10 of our local
governments and of course all the local governments in the state have their own
uniqueness in terms of crops production and we are looking into where we have
comparative advantage, such as rice, cassava, palm plantation, cotton and many
others,” the governor said.
Amosun, who expressed willingness to partner his guests,
said if the state gets it right in agricultural production, it would be able to
create massive employment opportunities for the unemployed youths.
He added: “I like the idea of a second generation farming,
which you mentioned. This will encourage our youths to go into farming and
enable us to capture the young ones for agricultural activities”.
Affirming that the state has a huge market for finished
products, Governor Amosun assured his visitors that government would mobilise
all the stakeholders in the agricultural sector to be part of the collaboration
in order to tap from the Malaysian experience, adding: “I am looking at a
highly successful collaboration with your government that will translate to an
improved agricultural development in our state.”
Speaking earlier, the Secretary – General, Malaysian
Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry; Mr. Abdullah, said the
Malaysian government was ready to collaborate with the Ogun State government in
the area of Agriculture.
In a presentation, the C.E.O. of Marditech Corporation, a
private Malaysian agricultural firm expected to drive the collaboration, Mr. Anas
Ahmad Nasarudin, said the company is into processing, packaging and
distribution of agricultural products in many countries.
He said the company was collaborating with Ondo and Kano
states in rice production and food processing, expressing optimism that Ogun
State could benefit from the collaboration in rice production and processing,
oil palm production, cassava production and processing, establishment of green
– houses for tomato and pepper production and establishment of model farm
estates, among others.
Apart from this, the state government has taken another step
to increase cassava production, in as it is collaborating with the Federal
Government to establish a 6,000-hectare semi-mechanised cassava farm at Ijebu
Igbo in Ijebu North Local Government Area.
Commissioner for Agriculture, Mrs. Ronke Sokefun, who
disclosed this in an interview, said already, the state had embarked on a 10-
hectare cassava multiplication project where high yielding stem had been
planted and would soon be distributed to farmers.
Sheokefun said while the State government is providing land
and clearing equipment for the project, the Federal Government, which has
already constructed the road leading to the site, will provide cassava stems to
be planted there.
The commissioner disclosed that as it was planned for the
rice plantation in Egua in Yewa North Local Government, a cassava processing
plant would be located close to the plantation to help process harvested
cassava into finished or semi-finished products. She said the gesture would
enhance the price of farm produce and the living condition of farmers.
Mrs. Sokefun said work at the 'Green House Project' to
provide a controlled environment for the production of tomatoes, cucumber and
green pepper in Kotopo and the Farmers Market in Asero, had reached advanced
stages.
The two projects, according to her, are to be inaugurated by
Governor Amosun next month.
The Bureau of
Employment Generation in Ogun State (OGEGEP) has said that the proposed Value
Addition Centre would bridge the gap confronting young entrepreneurs in the
processing, marketing and sale of their products.
Permanent Secretary of the bureau, Engr. (Mrs.) Cecilia
Olajide, made this assertion during a joint meeting with other stakeholders in
the centre. She said the underlining vision behind its establishment was the
need to have a home grown processing plant that would ensure that local farmers
and entrepreneurs had corresponding values for their products.
Mrs. Olajide said the centre was a major component of the
strategy on employment generation programme of the state which focused on
agricultural products. She called for the collaboration of relevant Ministries,
Departments and Agencies to ensure a smooth take-off.
“The Value Addition
Centre is a major component of the strategy on employment generation and the
key products here are agricultural products. The need to synergise with all
related MDAs cannot be over-emphasized'', Engr. Olajide said.
She said to realise this dream, her bureau had visited
federal and state agencies, such as the National Directorate of Employment
(NDE), Technical Incubation Centre (TIC) and Raw Material Display Centre, among
others, on ways of collaborating to ensure success.
Representative of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Mr.
Oladipo Idowu, said over the years, the ministry had recorded monumental
success in using funds and contributions from government and the private sector
as loans to entrepreneurs in trading and farming to enhance their operations.
Dr. John Oni of the Technical Incubation Centre underscored
the need to put the idea into practice, saying the insisting that advantages
derivable are enormous.
No comments:
Post a Comment