Ekiti to construct ultramodern dormitories in farm settlements

• It is self-indicting for Yoruba to be hungry, says Ikere monarch
• Oyo begins resuscitation of school farming
• Trains 58 teachers on soil-less, hydroponic farming skill

Ekiti State Government has said that construction work on ultramodern dormitories at the farm settlements across all the local councils will commence within the next three weeks to boost food security.

The state’s governor, Biodun Oyebanji, who disclosed this, yesterday, during his visit to the Emure, Ikere and Aramoko farm settlements, vowed to return the state to the farm settlement era witnessed in the old Western Region under the leadership of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo to boost agriculture and food security.

He also said that about 930 youths were involved in the agriculture scheme, known as “Bring Back Youth into Agriculture,” being carried out by the state government in collaboration with a private entity, YSJ Farms.

Under the scheme, according to the governor, the state government provides land to young farmers, assists them with land clearing and seedlings as well as agric extension services, among others. It also has an arrangement to buy their products for storage purposes.

Oyebanji said he was determined to invest hugely in agriculture, as a form of empowerment for the youths, to ensure food security and to drive industrialisation, saying that revamping the old farm settlement strategy of the late Awolowo was the only way to ensure the young farmers stay on the farms and maximise government’s support for the scheme.

Meanwhile, the Ogoga of Ikere-Ekiti, Oba Adejimi Adu Alagbado, who accompanied Oyebanji to Ikere farm settlement, declared that it is self-indicting for any Yoruba man to complain of hunger.

The monarch said he was always taken aback seeing young men selling handkerchiefs, table water instead of being in the farm.

IN a related vein, Oyo State Government has trained 58 pre-vocational studies teachers on soil-less/hydroponic agriculture on skills acquisition in a bid to resuscitate farming in public schools.

The state’s Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Salihu Adelabu, who disclosed this during a one-day training of trainers’ workshop held at Wesley College of Science, Elekuro, Ibadan, said that the training would enable the teachers to instill entrepreneur skills, in the area of agriculture, to their students to become agropreneurs

He said that the 58 trained teachers would be the ones to train other Agricultural Science teachers across the 33 local councils of the state.

In her remarks, Director of Basic Education in the ministry, Olabode Abosede, called on Agricultural Science teachers in public schools to endeavour to introduce their students to practical aspects of the subject in due course to get the desired result.

She explained that the good thing about school farming in which the government is bringing back on board is the introduction of soiless farming, which she described as a modern way of farming.

Abosede, who lauded the teachers for their commitment to the training, said that the ministry would put in place a monitoring team for a periodic visit to the schools and project evaluation.