The Oyo State Government has attracted the sum of $170 million through the Fashola Agribusiness Hub.
Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development in the state, Olasunkanmi Olaleye, disclosed this at a press briefing on key achievements and impact reports of the ministry, held at the Governor’s Office, Ibadan.
According to Olaleye, “What we are doing in agribusiness in the building of farm estates has attracted more than $ 170 million to this state.
“If you go to Fashola Agribusiness Hub, look at the calibre of the business companies that are there, and imagine the amount of money invested right there. Then, you will give credence to the government.
“Today, right there at Fashola, we now have big processing companies. We have a company processing cassava and can process tonnes of cassava sugar.
“We now have a company processing cashews. tonnes of cashews can be processed in that farm estate.
“We have a company that is now rearing cattle for milk. So, the cattle we have, for example, in Fashola, focus more on dairy farming.
“Today, based on the size of those agribusiness companies, we have integrated more than 8,000 smallholder farmers into those companies to be our growers for them.
The hub was established by the former Premier of Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, and upgraded by Governor Seyi Makinde of the state in order to ensure food security in Oyo.
The press briefing, which is expected to feature every commissioner and heads of departments and agencies in the state, was declared open on Thursday by Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof Olanike Adeyemo.
Within the past two years, Olaleye stated that the ministry has supported at least 10,210 with seedlings and other inputs, as 3,541 maize farmers and 920 soybean farmers benefited from the seedlings distribution programme.
High-yield cassava stems, he said, were distributed to 1,269 farmers, covering 47,587.5 acres with the potential to produce 214,143.75 tonnes of cassava tubers.
Olaleye further said knapsack sprayers were distributed to 1,980 farmers, and herbicides and pesticides to 2,500 farmers. He added that 8,464 livestock and aquaculture farmers were also supported with quality feed and other necessary inputs.
No fewer than 1,150 fish farmers received three bags each of 15 kilograms of quality fish feed, while 2,536 cattle, sheep, and goat farmers received nutritional supplements, including 253,600 kilograms of wheat offal, brewery dried grains, salt licks, and disinfectants.
Also, 3,740 poultry farmers received eight bags of 50kg maize grains each, and 1,028 pig farmers received palm kernel cake and disinfectants, he stated.
Olaleye also said 3,501 smallholder farmers were provided microloans with soft loans ranging from N50,000 to N800,000 per beneficiary.
The government, he revealed, has also constructed rural roads, totalling 87.53 kilometres across multiple local governments, to transform agricultural communities.
The inter-ministerial press briefing was organised by the Governor’s Media Unit, under the leadership of Dr. Sulaimon Olanrewaju, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Makinde.
