Yesterday, Thursday May 21, 2020, i had the privilege of being present at the flag off ceremony of the year 2020 planting season by Governor Gboyega Oyetola.
This comes in line with the resolve of the government of the State of Osun to develop the Agriculture sector of the state and improve food security and sufficiency.
Governor Oyetola in his address mentioned that the State government had strengthened collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)/Nigeria Cassava Grower’s Association (NCGA) Osun Chapter and was firming up plans to distribute Agro-chemicals, fertilizers, and herbicides to over 2,000 farmers through the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme, which previously took care of 611 cotton growers across the state in the 2019/2020 season.
Furthermore, he stated that the government had approved the release of funds to the Federation of Fadama Community Associations (FFCA) to offset the outstanding balance on John Dpere Tractors and other complimentary implements to support communities for the year’s planting season.
Also, Power Tillers have been made available to rice farmers at subsidized rate, in line with the administration’s cardinal goal of food security and sufficiency in addition to the following other interventions:
1) Arrangements are in top gear to disburse soft loans to small and medium scale enterprises at a reduced interest rate through the Bank of Agriculture (BOA).
2) For Osun livestock farmers, the government is partnering with the World Bank on its Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES) to support livestock farmers in the State.
3) Osun Broiler Outgrowers’ Production Scheme (OBOPS)(currently on-going)
These and many more are some of the immediate actions of the post Covid-19 economic revival strategies of the Governor Adegboyega Oyetola led administration which highlights agriculture and mini g as the new frontier.
