Oyo State Agribusiness Development Agency (OYSADA), in partnership with the World Bank and Nigerian COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (N-CARES) project, has distributed agricultural inputs to 19 Local Government Areas out of the 33 LGAs in the State.
Mr Kolawole Bamigbola, the State coordinator for Nigeria Covid-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus,(N-Cares) Result Area 2 during the last phase of the distribution to the 19 selected LGAs, urged the no fewer than 1,545 beneficiaries to utilise these inputs for the intended purpose.
According to him, the distribution of the agricultural inputs to beneficiaries in 19 LGAs so far by Oyo N-CARES, is part of the State Government’s efforts to support citizens in the wake of the hardships occasioned by the removal of petrol subsidy.
He said that the 1,545 farmers received different types of agricultural inputs based on their farming categories.
“No fewer than 1,545 farmers have received different types of agricultural inputs based on their farming categories in 19 LGAs out of the 33 LGAs we have in the State.
“All our beneficiaries should count this as a privilege and utilise the inputs for the intended purpose.
“The Programme (N-CARES) is about providing agricultural input support to small scale farmers that were affected by COVID-19 during the year 2020.
“Though COVID-19 is no more ravaging the country, we still find out that there is still hardship that is occasioned by the removal of petrol subsidy.
“So this input given to the beneficiaries will assist them to give a kind of parliative to these famers so that there would be reduction of hunger and poverty in the society.”
Mr Bamigbola gave the breakdown of distribution to beneficiaries as 100 farmers in Iwajowa LG; 70 farmers in Oluyole LG; 60 farmers in Ibarapa North LG; 50 farmers in Ibarapa Central LG and 100 farmer in Ibarapa East LG.
Others are Lagelu LG (70 farmers); Ido (90); Iseyin (80); Oorelope (70); Oyo East (80); Olorunsogo (170); Saki East (65); Oriire (100); Kajola (80); Ogbomosho South (90); Surulere (70); Egbeda (70); Atiba (100) and Ona-Ara (20).
He also said that the State sponsored Youth Entrepreneurship in Agribusiness Project (YEAP) beneficiaries were carried along in the distribution exercise.
Mr Bamigbola listed the agricultural inputs to include 20 bundles of Cassava cuttings, 2 bags of NPK Fertilizer and 1litre of herbicide, among others.
In his remarks, the Executive Chairman of Oluyole Local Governent, Hon. Olaide Popoola enjoined the beneficiaries to make good use of the items to enhance food security in the Local Governments.
“We are here basically to encourage the beneficiaries that will go home with 2 bags of fertiliser each, 20 bundles of cassava stems and some other items just to redirect the steps as far as agricultural practices is concern in Oluyole Local Govenmnet.
“So we enjoin the beneficiaries to make good use of the items so that better future could await Oluyole Local Govenment as far as agriculture is concern,” Popoola said.
In Ona-Ara Local Government, 20 tomato farmers were empowered with 2 bags of fertiliser, 2 liters of herbicides and 25 sachets of Tomato seeds each.
The Executive Chairman of Ona-Ara Local Government, Hon. Musibau Sanusi, charged the beneficiaries not to engage in selling the farm inputs given to them, but to make good use of them.
He also said that the Local Government would do more to help genuine famers to be more productive by providing hectares of land and seedlings, among others, to complement the State Government’s efforts to ensure food security.
The beneficiaries in all 19 LGAs expressed their gratitude to the State Governor for the support and pledged to make good use of the inputs received.
