3,500 Ogun state farmers receive funds as Governor Abiodun flags off 2020 planting season

Yanju Uwala in Abeokuta

The Ogun State Government on Monday credited  more than 3,500 youth farmers with funds as  beneficiaries for cassava planting, processing and production in the State.

Penpushing reports that the Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, disclosed this during the flag-off of the 2020 Planting Season and Distribution of Inputs to the first batch of cassava value chain beneficiaries under the Anchor Borrowers Programme, held at Abeokuta, State capital.

The Governor explained that, the programme was in appreciation of his administration’s ability to use agricultural and the cassava crop as a tool for job provision for the youths and also support farmers for the benefit of Agro-Allied Industrial and Processing Partners.

Penpushing further reports that,he added that, about 3,500 beneficiaries were drawn from total of 25,000 applicants across the 20 local government areas in the State, who indicated interest in the programme.

“It is with grace free that I welcome all of you to the official flag-off of the year 2020 planting season and distribution of inputs to the first batch 3,500 drawn cassava from all the 20 local governments in the State Anchor Borrowers’ Programme”

The Governor said, the 3,500 farmers represented the first phase of disbursement of fund to cassava farmers who claimed to have farmland of their own, adding, “this will encourage other youths and farmers’

‘Already 2,497 farmers were credited with ₦500 million in March, 2020 by the Central Bank of Nigeria, and the additional payment of ₦180 million was credited to additional 900 farmers on Wednesday, 29th April, 2020 by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)’

‘This leads to the remaining balance of ₦20 million to be credited to 103 farmers, also a total of 3,500 farmers were resident the first phase of disbursement of funds who owned their own land and have been geo-tagged by the CBN to totally eliminate issue of fake or absentee farmers”.

Penpushing also reports that Abiodun, said that, already, 2,497 farmers have been credited with N500million in March this year by Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN, while additional payment of over N180million was credited to 900 farmers last Wednesday.

The Governor said the goal of the agricultural sector in his administration was to ensure food security, by linking smallholder farmers to industrial opportunities and provided linkage to credit and inputs which will follow preferred crops by off-takers.

Penpushing reports that, Abiodun   said this is necessary because almost all nations of the world have closed their borders and it has become imperative to “grow what we eat agenda”.

“It is with those feelings that I join others to welcome all of us to the Official flag-off of the 2020 Planting Season and Distribution of Inputs to the first batch of 3,500 Cassava farmers drawn from all 20 LGAs under the Ogun State Anchor Borrowers’ Programme.

“I have the pleasure to state that voluntary registrations for ABP in Ogun State which is an extremely high number and in fact the highest ever recorded by any State for this crop (27,000), is an indication of the trust in our ability to use Agriculture and the Cassava crop, as a vehicle to provide jobs for our teeming youths; and to also support existing farmers for the benefit of our Agro-Allied Industrial and Processing Partners.

“In the past three weeks, a total of 3,500 Ogun ABP nominees have been credited with funds, and linked with inputs (weed killers and fertilizers) and fields ready for tilling and planting of improved and disease-resistant Cassava varieties to be supplied. This unprecedented feat continues to make Ogun ABP exemplary. The registration figures keep rising daily. Today, up to 60,000 registrations have been records for seven commodities, with Cassava hitting a record high of 25,000 applications.

“Today, oil, which is the main source of revenue for our dear nation is selling for below 30 dollars a barrel. Even the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Budget Office has reworked the National Budget to reflect current realities as dictated by the impact of COVID-19 pandemic’.

‘The fact that almost all the nations of the world have closed their borders has brought to the fore the importance of our “growing what we eat” agenda. We all see the importance of self-reliance in food productivity. I am sure we are all now aware of the importance and relation of food production, not only to food security, but to the overall security in the nation, in general, and our dear State, in particular.”

Penpushing further reports that, in his own welcome address, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Adeola Odedina, stated that this is the biggest Anchor Borrowers’ Programme ever in Ogun State.

The commissioner added, that, there are about 60 stems of Cassava to be planted and over ₦60 million have been distributed across all local government areas in Ogun State, also they are making use of mechanical system of planting and not manual planting method.

Penpushing also reports that a beneficiary, Oluwole Emmanuel Obimakinde, from Odeda Local Government, when asked, means of making use of the funds  made available to him, said that, he will ensure that the money is spent on what is meant for.