Third Phase of Distribution of Agric Inputs Begins in Oyo

By Iyabo Adebisi

Oyo State Government has begun the third phase of the distribution of agricultural inputs to farmers in the state with the distribution of two bags of 50kg feeds and two bottles of disinfectant to 1,000 pig farmers.

The State Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr Olasunkanmi Olaleye, said this in Ajaawa, Ogo Oluwa Local Government during the flag-off of the third phase of the farm inputs distribution to farmers in the state.

He said the phase would also witness the free vaccination of at least 120,000 cattle with anthrax vaccine and CBPP vaccine, while another 250,000 cattle, goat and sheep would also be vaccinated by the state government.

Mr Olaleye added that 1,000 sheep and goat farmers across the state would equally receive two bags of 50kg wheat offal each.

The effort, he noted, is in continuation of measures introduced by Governor ‘Seyi Makinde under the Sustainable Action for Economic Recovery (SAfER) initiative to cushion the effect of economic hardship on residents of the state.

Mr Olaleye who is also doubles as the chairman, SAfER Food Security Sub-Committee, recalled that thousands of poultry and fishery farmers in the state had benefited in the first and second phases of the inputs distribution exercise.

He lauded the state governor for sustaining agricultural activities in the state through the SAfER initiative, adding that the initiative, which targets crop, poultry, fishery and livestock farmers, is aimed at supporting small and medium scale so as to relieve them of the current economic hardship.

Olaleye said: “We are flagging off the third phase of SAfER interventions for the food security sub-sector with the distribution of feeds and disinfectants to pig farmers across Oyo State.

“Here, 1,000 pig farmers will benefit from the distribution we are doing at the moment. They will get two bags of 50kg of PKC each with two bottles of disinfectant.

“120,000 cattle will also be vaccinated with anthrax vaccine and CBPP Vaccine, 250,000 cattle across the state will also benefit from free vaccination of anthrax vaccine. We are going to give out two bags of 50kg wheat offal feeds each to 1,000 sheep and goat farmers as well.

“This is just the beginning of the exercise and it will go across all the local government areas we have in the state.

“It is part of the SAfER initiative introduced by Governor Makinde. In the next few days, we will proceed to the stage of giving seed, cassava cotton, herbicides and knapsack sprayers to crop farmers across the state.

“The programme is aimed at reducing the cost of food in Oyo State and I want to assure you that by the next harvest season, you will see that prices of goods and food would have gone down.”

The commissioner added that as part of efforts to support farmers in the state, the governor recently pronounced a N600 million subsidy on land clearing, which would see farmers pay only N15,000 per hectare instead of N30,000 being charged earlier.

“I would like to urge the farmers to be faithful to the government and to also support our people. If they are getting free things from the government, they should also ensure they reduce the prices of goods in a corresponding manner as well.

“The governor has said that for the next six months, no farmer should pay tax on farm produce in the state. And he has promised to support farmers with 50 per cent payment on the tractor used on their farmlands.

Earlier, the chairman, Piggery Farmers Association, Mr Tope Oye-Alamu, expressed gratitude to the state government for the inclusion of pig farmers as beneficiaries of the state government initiative, noting that his sector had never benefited from such effort before.

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