Ondo State Government on Tuesday flagged-off the 2022 agricultural season with the distribution of two million cocoa seedlings and other agricultural inputs to farmers in the state .
Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu , at the distribution of the of the inputs on Tuesday in Ilara Mokin, said his administration would continue to partner investors and encourage them to support farmers with inputs and facilities.
Represented by his deputy,Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa,Akeredolu also assured that his administration would continue to fund agricultural intervention programmes that would enhance farmers’ productivity.
He reiterated his administration’s commitment to rehabilitating rural access roads and creating enabling environment for farmers in the state.
Akeredolu also assured that government would continue to release grants to relevant agencies as mark of support to agricultural associations.
The governor warned land grabbers to desist from encroaching on the state’s forest reserves.
“Let me assure you that our administration will continue to sustain these efforts and encourage investors that are interested in taking advantage of the state’s abundant resources to invest in agriculture, like food production processing and agricultural value chain development.
“Let me seize this opportunity to sound a note of warning to all encroachers and land grabbers to desist from carrying out their illegal activities on government land and forest reserves.
“We shall not allow people to plunder our forests and convert our commonwealth to personal use and gains,” he said.
Earlier in his welcome address, Mr Olatayo Aribo, Commissioner for Agriculture and Forestry, applauded the governor for his agricultural support programmes geared towards empowering farmers.
He said the government partnered OLAM , a renowned investor in cocoa value chain and other tree crops ,to distribute two million cocoa seedlings and other inputs to farmers.
Oyato said the kind gesture of the company would not be taken for granted as he appreciated the management for supporting the state government’s efforts at promoting food security.
Mrs Taye Ojeme,representative of OLAM, noted that the partnership with the state was to ensure the state remained the leading cocoa producing state in Nigeria.
The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN)reports that the flag off ceremony exposed farmers to the opportunities available to them on varieties of crops, livestock, planting materials and others.
(NAN)
