How Ekiti Lured Youths Into Agriculture, Realize N200m

By  Ayodele Oni

Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji has revealed how youths in the state were lured into farming and that young farmers that participated in the state’s farming scheme made over N200million last year from the sale of their produce.

The Governor also reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to improving food security through aggressive infrastructure development capable of turning the state into an agricultural hub in the country.

Oyebanji stated these while playing host to the management team of a private Tech Group led by its Chief Executive, Prince Samuel Joseph.

He noted that government has been able to turn agriculture into a veritable business venture through all its interventions in the sector.

The Governor pointed out that Ekiti State is ready to partner with the tech company for a more enhanced development in the agriculture sector.

According to him, the N200 million realized by the young farmers during the last harvest season was from off- takers and big processing plants as well as the State government which bought the produce for storage.

He said the success recorded from the pioneering set in the agric programme has encouraged other young farmers to sign on, adding that no fewer than 2,000 young farmers have shown interest in being part of the cluster farming this year.

Governor Oyebanji announced that the state is working towards food surplus, empowerment for the youths, creation of economic opportunities for the citizens through agribusiness and utilizing agriculture to drive industrialization.

He added that the fact the government’s policy of supporting the farmers with modified seedlings, land clearing and tractorisation has helped them increased their scope, while the assurance that whatever they grow would be bought has been a great encouragement for them.

“We have developed a template that has transited agric from mere farming to business. And as I speak today, there were 1,000  farmers that we got  to farm in the six cluster farms in the state.

“It was a pilot programme and the beauty of the project is when we cleared land for them, we did tractorization, gave them seedlings.

“Last year December, we gave over N200 million to them for the sales of their produce, while we also insisted that they commit a certain percentage of their profits back to their farm.

“My government will be deliberate in ensuring that we provide infrastructure that will support the hub and we promise that we will engage in collaborations that will bring remarkable development to agriculture and how we can be a major player in the sector.”