The Ogun State Government has inaugurated a cassava processing plant alongside a solar-powered borehole in the Obafe community in Obafemi-Owode Local Council as part of efforts to boost food security, agro-industrial development, and improve rural livelihoods.

The project is implemented under the Federal Government and Ogun State Government International Fund for Agricultural Development ASSISTED-Value Chain Development Programme.

Speaking during the commissioning, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Hon. Bolu Owotomo, said that the facility which would serve four farmer groups comprising about 60 farmer marks the second major agricultural infrastructure project delivered in the axis within one year.

Owotomo, who recalled that a farmers’ market and a solar-powered borehole were earlier inaugurated in the community about 12 months ago under the same programme, said that the initiative aligns with the ongoing agricultural interventions aimed at supporting cassava farmers and improving value addition across the state.

He said that under the Ogun State Economic Transformation Project (OGSTEP), more than 16,000 farmers have benefited from various interventions, while over 12,000 hectares of land have been cleared for farmers within the last two years.

The Commissioner explained that farmers under the programme also enjoyed significant subsidies, including a 65 percent discount on land clearing and 50 percent discount on agricultural inputs, while beneficiaries were linked directly to off-takers.

He also disclosed that the FGN/OGSG (IFAD ASSISTED)-VCDP programme, which covers eight local government areas in the state, has so far delivered 16 cassava processing centres and 55 boreholes to support farming communities noting that the initiative, was in line with the agricultural development agenda of Governor Dapo Abiodun.

Owotomo further explained that the programme which focuses on boosting food production and encouraging farmers to process their produce for increased income generation was designed to increase real agricultural income for smallholder farmers by 80 percent, improve food productivity, reduce child malnutrition, strengthen household assets, promote climate-resilient farming practices and enhance financial inclusion.

He reaffirmed that more processing centres, markets and solar-powered boreholes would be commissioned in other local government areas across the state, urging beneficiaries to make effective use of the facilities to promote agro-industrialisation, stimulate economic growth and improve livelihoods in the community and the state at large.

Earlier, the Acting State Coordinator of the programme, Mrs Abiola Sobukola,  described the projects as another milestone in the state’s efforts to strengthen agricultural value chains, reduce post-harvest losses and improve rural livelihoods,

Sobukola stressed that the cassava processing centre was expected to enhance cassava value addition within the benefiting community, while the solar-powered borehole would provide reliable access to clean and sustainable water for both processing activities and domestic use.

She maintained that the interventions align with the agricultural development agenda of Governor Dapo Abiodun aimed at promoting food security, job creation and rural empowerment.

The Coordinator thanked the commissioner for his leadership and and other stakeholders for their support towards the successful implementation of the programme, enjoining beneficiaries to take ownership of the facilities and ensure their proper use and maintenance for the benefit of present and future generations.

Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries,Mr Saubana Ojetola, and Mrs Kikelomo Ogunsan appreciated the state government for it’s continuous support to ensure food security, promising to make judicious use of the facility