The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security in Collaboration with Oyo State Government have empowered 75 youths and women in cassava and yam farmers with grinding machines and farm inputs to enhance their standard of living and food security.
Unveiling and presenting the items to the beneficiaries at the State Secretariat, Ibadan, the State Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Barrister Olasunkanmi Olaleye commended Federal Government under the leadership of President Bola Hammed GCFR for it’s continues efforts in empowering farmers across the country which Oyo state was not exempted, stressed that the good gesture was inline with the Oyo State Government in revitalizing farming to enhance food security in the state through a mechanized farming that would be profitable to farmers.
Barrister Olasunkanmi while speaking through the Programme Manager and the Director of Agricultural Extension, Mr. Maruf Razaq said the beneficiaries were drown from
95 youths and women farmers who were trained on processing, packaging, value addition and utilization of yam and cassava, promised that others would be attended to in the next face.
He therefore urged the beneficiaries to make use of the grinding machines and the farm inputs giving to them judiciously and use it for their growth in the processing and packaging of the product to the end users.
In her address, the State Coordinator, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, South West Zone, Dr. Mrs Florence Kakulu said 15 of the Youths and Women in yam farmer would go home with grinding machine each while the remaining 60 in Cassava production, processing farmers would be empowered with 1 bag of NPK fertilizer and 4 liters of insecticide each.
The state coordinator who was represented by Mrs Lateef Monsurat hinted that the empowerment was part of kind gestrure from the federal government to women and young farmers who specialises in cassava and yam production, processing and packaging Who have been trained on value chain as part of governments efforts to empower the farmers on the need to put enhance food security.
She equally enjoined the beneficiaries to use the items to the utmost level in other to move them to next level in agricultural production as we as to boost their sources of income.
In their separate remarks, Mrs. Odedeyi Oluwatoyin and Mr Otolorin Olusanjo on behalf of beneficiaries appreciated governments for the support given through training and empowerment pledged to make judicious use of the items saying arable farmers in Oyo State had long enjoined government’s hand of fellowship.
Adesoji O.O.
Media Officer,
MA&RD.
