Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has expressed his administration’s readiness to collaborate with the National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA) to enhance mechanised farming and strengthen food security in the state.
According to Aiyedatiwa, the enormous effort involved in land clearing is one of the major obstacles preventing many farmers, particularly young agripreneurs, from venturing into or scaling up mechanised agricultural production.
The governor, who disclosed this on Monday during a courtesy visit by a NALDA delegation, led by the agency’s coordinator in the state, Chief Olusola Ayandokun, at the Governor’s Office in Akure, the state capital, stressed that the challenge falls within NALDA’s core mandate, making the partnership a strategic move to unlock the state’s agricultural potential.
He said, “We know that one of the major expenditures that hinders a lot of farmers from going into mechanised farming or expanding their operations is land clearing. I’ve heard that land clearing is one of the key activities of NALDA, and this is encouraging.”
While emphasising the potential of youth in agriculture, Aiyedatiwa noted that once the bottleneck of land clearing is addressed, young people will be more willing to embrace farming.
He commended the integrated farm estate model initiated by NALDA in other states, noting that Ondo already has similar infrastructure in place, especially in farm settlements that can be revived and upgraded through partnership.
Aiyedatiwa expressed optimism that the collaboration would also promote animal husbandry, especially in the rearing of goats and rabbits, areas where Ondo has natural advantages.
On his part, Ayandokun assured the governor of the agency’s commitment to supporting the state’s agricultural agenda.
He explained that NALDA, a federal government initiative, is focused on reclaiming and opening up farmland, promoting food security, empowering youth and women, and supporting the agricultural value chain.
The coordinator lamented past policy disruptions that had previously led to the agency’s scrapping but noted its recent revitalisation under the current federal administration.
“NALDA’s goals include land clearing, preparation, and allocation to farmers, as well as establishing integrated farm estates, providing agricultural inputs, promoting animal husbandry, and training,” he said.
Ayandokun also highlighted Ondo’s suitability for projects involving cocoa, oil palm, goat and rabbit farming, as well as integrated farm settlements, especially in areas such as the Ile-Oluji farm settlement. He disclosed that some parcels of land have already been allocated for pilot projects, and training modules are in place for farmers.
