Agriculture

Oyo Govt. to Partner Netherlands on Agribusiness

By Web News 580

By Iyabo Adebisi

Oyo state Governor Engineer Seyi Makinde has expressed readiness of the state government to partner Netherlands in areas of training for young agropreneurs, agro processing and expanding possibilities in agricultural tourism. 

He said this  when he received the Ambassador of Netherlands to Nigeria, Wouter Plomp on a courtesy visit at the Agodi, Secretariat, Ibadan. 

Governor Makinde while reeling out various efforts of his administration to connect agriculture producing zones to consumption zones in the state, said his government is committed to putting the state at the fore front of agro processing in the country. 

The governor also pledged to encourage investment in agro business and play a significant role in ensuring foreign investors succeed in building an agricultural business empire in the state.

Earlier, the Ambassador to the Netherlands, Wouter Plomp explained that Oyo state has a lot of potentials as a strategic partner for agric business, adding that the Netherlands intends to exchange ideas and learn from the state on ways to expand opportunities for the future of agric business in the state and by extension the South West region.

He also expressed desire to work particularly with youths in the areas of agricultural production, processing, aids & trades, and exploring opportunities in agric business in the state. 

Agriculture

Our efforts in agribusiness already yielding results – Oyo Govt

By Web News 818

There is no doubt that the efforts of Oyo State government in agribusiness is already yielding positive results through increment of internal generated revenue and job creation opportunities through investment in agriculture.

Executive Adviser to Governor Seyi Makinde on Agribusiness, Dr. Debo Akande said this while receiving a team of diary milk company on facility tour at Fashola farm, Oyo to set up a milk collection center through dairy livestock farming within the facility.

Speaking with newsmen after the tour, Dr Akande, who also doubles as the Director General of Oyo State Agribusiness Development Agency (OYSADA) said there would be a manifestation of modern approach in livestock and dairy production within particular facility.

He explained that the state was making money from the farm as it was not giving free to milk investor company and other investors noting that they were using the farm on lease.

Dr Akande also used the opportunity of the tour to address the beneficiaries of the state Youth Entrepreneurship In Agribusiness Project (YEAP) who have already cultivated up to 45% of the hundred hectares of land allocated to them, charging them to continue working with such energy to boost food security and help themselves.

Dr Debo Akande with some stakeholders during the inspection tour

He commended them for the level of consistence and commitment shown to their jobs.

“We have said that this is going to be private sector-driven, and in so doing we are attracting the investors that have the capability to run the hub, Fasola Farm was actually known for livestock farming for many years and the work we’ve been doing in terms of livestock has created impact across the whole part of the state, so what we are doing now is to bring back the glory of the past but in a different way.”

“What our milk collection partner investor are known for is dairy and livestock, so we will be seeing a manifestation of modern approach in livestock and dairy production within this particular facility that we have and to me I think that is quite significant.” Akande said.

“They have already paid, and they will be paying annually for the next twenty years, and this is not limited only to our milk collection partner but also to other investors here, all of them are here on lease, government is going to generate chunk of their lease at the first year and also be generating lease payment for the next twenty years from all these private companies, that is part one of the revenue.”

“The part two of it is that they will also be paying taxes at different points or the other, and part three is that they will be employing quite a lot of our people within the state that have the skills set to work within that particular location and part four is that we have something to show other investors what we have in stock to come and see, so if we said we are opening up another area they already see the possibility, so with all these I see this as a big win for Oyo State”.

“Beyond that as well, we will also be engaging in the issue of milk production here, we will be engaging our youths in milk production and that is going to be a whole dairy and livestock value chain that we will be scaling within this particular location. This is not what government has responsibility to do, as you normally hear our governor saying that there is no business of government in business and that is the reality of what we have seen here today.” Akande said.

Iyabo Adebisi

Subscribe to our Telegram and YouTubeChannels also join our Whatsapp Update Group

News

FG should create enabling environment for fabricators – OYSADA DG

By Web News 594

The Executive Adviser to the Oyo State Governor on Agribusiness, Dr Debo Akande says there is a need for Federal Government to provide an enabling environment and resources for fabricators to improve equipment needed for agricultural produce.

He stated this during stakeholders meeting in Ibadan with fabricators, farmers and members of Innovative Lab for Policy Leadership in Agriculture and Food Security, PILAF

Dr Akande, who is also the Director General, OYSADA, posited that if agricultural equipment being produced locally is standardized, no farmer would import equipment to process produce.

Dr Akande, while highlighting problems facing fabricators including collective knowledge constraint and funds explained that what the nation’s fabricators were practising was a more competitive approach than collective practice as being employed in other countries of the world.

The DG OYSADA, therefore, called for a special fund for fabricators to improve their equipment with a view to assisting farmers in the value chain.

He said Oyo State Government was poised to provide enabling environment for fabricators in the state to thrive and the needed resources for the local fabricators to better their own equipment.

“We need to put a specific fund in place for the issue of fabrications at the federal level, so that when we are talking about agribusiness, like diversifying from mono economic to the agricultural-based economy, how much resources are we putting into the factor that determines that gold, mechanization and agric equipment are key components” 

“if we are talking about agribusiness and agro-economy and if we are talking about large scale agriculture, we cannot be talking about using cutlass and hoes alone, so if you’re not putting your money where your money is, then you should not expect any magic, for us as a country that is the major area I think we need to focus on now”

“Oyo State Government have strategies in place, we have a plan, we are not doing anything accidentally, what we are doing are deliberate actions that is within our strategy, just a couple of weeks ago the state government commissioned the gas plant project within the state, that means we are having alternative means of energy only that at the early stage that project the gas energy will be supply in clustered industrial hubs”

A senior researcher and an administrator of Pilaf  of the University of Ibadan, and participant, Mr Iredele  Ogunbayo said the contributions and suggestions at the meeting would be used to help in creating or initiating policies that are going to better the lives of fabricators and our farmers

Iyabo Adebisi

Subscribe to our Telegram and YouTubeChannels also join our Whatsapp Update Group

Agriculture

Oyo Govt Takes Step to Strengthen Agribusiness

By Web News 463

Oyo State Government is partnering Netherlands Government through agribusiness for economic development.

The Director-General, Oyo Agribusiness Development Agency, OYSADA, Dr Debo Akande made this known at the Oyo State-Dutch Collaboration for Economic Development meeting in Ibadan.

Dr Akande said the partnership between the Netherlands and the state government was to ensure that resources coming into the economic development of Nigeria receive priority.

“There is no government that can do it alone; we need partners and one of the critical areas of agribusiness is to ensure that we drive the private sector as much as we can at small, medium and large scale levels.

He added that Oyo state would soon commence fixing of 1500 feeder roads through the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project, RAAMP, a world bank project to enhance smooth transportation of farm produce.

“For this state, from 2019 till now, we have been able to drive N27 billion private sector investment in agribusiness and have over N40 billion worth of international development funds into agribusiness.

“It is this kind of partnership meeting that brings these things to fruition,” Akande said.

Also, the Consul-General of the Netherlands, Lagos, Mr Michel Deleen said  the meeting was to bring to Oyo state solutions from the Netherlands to link up businesses in Oyo State and the Netherlands to build a better Nigeria.

“There are lots of Dutch companies in Oyo State; we are trying to consolidate on that to see how the Dutch Government and Oyo State Government can support and push further on economic development in Oyo State.”

Mr Deleen who said that collaboration on agriculture between Oyo state and Netherland had been yielding results

added that there was the need to do more in horticulture programme to increase tomatoes and cassava production in Oyo state and Nigeria at large.

He urged the state government to provide infrastructure such as good roads to complement and ensure that yields of agricultural produce increased through modern agricultural practices.

“It is a matter of training and capacity building.

“Use of the right seed, the right soil type and fertilisers are the technical things that would help Nigeria and in this case, farmers in Oyo State,” Deleen said.

In a remark, the Permanent Secretary, Oyo State Ministry of Trade, Investment and Cooperatives Dr Bunmi Babalola said that if well utilized would promote exportation, which had been the desire of market leaders in the state.

Commenting, Mr Kola Adeniji, a farmer and one of the participants, urged the three tiers of government to ensure that good policies were in place and implemented to make agribusiness viable in Nigeria.

Iyabo Adebisi

Agriculture

Agribusiness: Oyo Trains Youths From Six LGs on Rural Enterprises

By Web News 804

Oyo State government has commenced another set of training workshops to equip farmers and youths in agriculture and entrepreneurial skills to operate business ventures and make profit from agribusiness.

Youths and Farmers from six local government areas of the State were trained on Rural Finance Institution-Building (RUFIN) Program, which was held at Ikoyi-Ile, in Oriire Local government of Oyo State on Monday.

In an address delivered by the Acting Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Peter Adegunwa on behalf of the State Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Hon. Ojemuyiwa Ojekunle at the official flag off of the training, stated that the program was a deliberate effort to attend to the need of people below the ladder, as the business and entrepreneur development training would equip them to manage their business ventures profitably either as individual business or group venture.

According to him, the training which was tagged ‘Business/Entrepreneur development’ was aimed at ensuring the preservation of Village Savings and Credit Groups, understanding the concept of savings, savings accumulation and saving culture, instilling good credit management, appreciating the essence of financial planning and budgeting among others.

Dr. Adegunwa used the avenue to reiterate the importance of Oyo State Agribusiness Development Agency OYSADA with its headquarters at Saki, Saki West local government with the aim of transforming Oyo State into an agribusiness hub.

He maintained that the agency was charged with the responsibility of developing two modern and standard farm estates at Akufo (Ido LG) and Eruwa (Ibarapa East LG), while also announcing the establishment of Agricultural Training Center, Awe, and the re-launch of Rural, Access and Agricultural Marketing Project to provide 1,600kms of Rural roads.

“It is pertinent to state here that the State administration, under the leadership of Governor Seyi Makinde would leave no stone unturned to reach out to the youths in the rural communities as well as rural farmers for them to benefit from the agribusiness programmes of the government.

“The OYSADA has been charged with the responsibility of developing two modern and standard farm estates at Akufo (Ido LG) and Eruwa (Ibarapa East LG) and the establishment of Agricultural Training Center, Awe, and the re-launch of Rural, Access and Agricultural Marketing Project to provide 1,600kms of Rural roads, this will open up the rural areas and the dwellers up for business opportunities in the sector,” he maintained.

The State Coordinator for RUFIN, Comrade Emmanuel Olusola Ogundiran enjoined the participants and beneficiaries of the organized, Train The Trainers workshop to attach importance to the programme and make maximum use of it for the benefit of their immediate family, community and the State at large.

Comrade Ogundiran stated further that the training also included enlightening the youths in the rural areas on ways to manage the profits they make from farm produce sales before being introduced to another source of financing and also enjoined them to make possible a positive ripples effect of the programme by passing down the knowledge acquired at the training to those who were unable to participate physically.

Signed:

Wasiu Olatubosun (PhD),

Hon. Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism,

MIC&T, Ibadan.

Monday 28th September, 2020.