The Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones Programme (SAPZ), in partnership with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), has trained farmers on the use of the Agricultural Market Information System (AGMIS).

The initiative, which aimed at improving access to real-time information and market data to enhance agricultural productivity, was held in Abeokuta.

State Programme Coordinator, Kehinde Jokotoye, who reiterated the significance of the training to farmers’ daily operation, urged beneficiaries to make use of the opportunity, noting that significant resources had been committed to improving their productivity and adding value to their activities.

However, Chairman of Yewa North Local Council, Dr Olusola Akinbode, has disclosed plans to distribute 30,000 seedlings of cash crops to farmers in the state to enhance their income across the council area.

Akinbode, who disclosed this while speaking with journalists in his office at Ayetoro, said the initiative was part of the council’s broader strategy to strengthen food security and promote sustainable agriculture.

He said the seedlings were climate-resilient and had been carefully selected to withstand changing weather conditions and mature within three years, thereby ensuring quicker returns on investment for farmers.

He added that mid-April had been chosen for distribution.

The chairman further stated that the Council had already commenced nurturing improved seedlings to guarantee quality and sustainability, adding that the Council was not only focused on distribution but also on capacity building to ensure farmers meet global standards.

Akinbode recalled that 11,000 seedlings were distributed to farmers in the previous year.

He also noted that the initiative aligned with the Ogun State Government’s agricultural development drive under the leadership of Governor Dapo Abiodun, particularly the ISEYA development agenda, which emphasises economic growth through agriculture and sustainable development.