Osun govt presents cheques, tractors, input to farmers

The Osun State Government has presented a cheque of N8.6m each to poultry farmers participating in the Osun Broiler Outgrower Production Scheme (OBOPS).

Each of them is expected to raise 2,000 day-old broiler birds to table size within six weeks, with the cycle repeated continuously, while off-takers buy back from them.

The Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Otunba ‘Tola Faseru, who disclosed this at the weekend, in his keynote address during the unveiling of tractors and distribution of farm inputs to farmers across the state, at Ede, assured that the state would continue to support farmers’ group who are into food processing by empowering them with agricultural assets like maize sheller, palm kernel cracker, smoking kiln, poultry cages, and pens among others to encourage value addition.

The commissioner said the Adeleke administration has purchased Tractors with implements to be distributed on Public Private Partnership among farmers associations, youths, women and People Living with Disabilities (PWD) and others for their farm operations.

“This will go a long way in removing drudgery associated with production of food crops and youths’ notions that agribusiness is tedious and unprofitable. More new tractors and their implements are being expected to arrive in due course, we shall not rest on our oars until we have sufficient pre and post planting equipment for food production until we are able to feed the people and make Osun, the Food Silo of the nation.

“Governor Ademola Adeleke’s commitment to impact the lives of the people in putting food on their tables is highly commendable. His approval for the purchase of agricultural Inputs for distribution to farmers across the length and breadth of the state will thereby motivate them in massive food production.

“We now have herbicides, cashew seedlings, cassava cuttings, various vegetable seeds, bags of lime and others, for free distribution to farmers. It will interest you to hear that all primary and secondary schools will be empowered with vegetables and arable seeds for planting after their resumption by September 2024, and make them inclusive in the food security value chain.”

Faseru noted that the support of the Federal Government in the release of various brands of fertiliser (NPK and Urea) is extremely appreciated and commendable, while the state government has also complemented with the organic fertilisers that will be distributed to the farmers.

He noted that the state would improve upon its collaboration with the Federal Government on National Agricultural Land Clearing Programme and input supply, as well as other programmes for the purpose of attaining food security and employment generation in the state.

“Major arable crops in Osun State include maize, cassava, rice and cowpea, while major tree crops are cocoa, oil palm and cashew. Cultivation of these crops is rain-fed, thus, subjecting them to the unpredictable occurrence of the weather, with the cultivation becoming susceptible to moisture stress.

“It has been discovered that climate change experienced of recent has resulted in delayed planting season and cash crop fruiting, with the complete cessation of rainfall in the middle of planting season, as currently being experienced.

“It is in the light of this development that the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security will make provision in the 2025 budget estimate for the state government to make a sizeable budget allocation for irrigation.”