…empowers 3,082 farmers in Ogun

By James Ogunnaike, Abeokuta

The federal government has allocated N350 billion, for the reticulation and desilting of dams across the country, to ensure all year-round farming with target for three farming seasons annually.

It has also launched the National Agriculture Development Fund of N100billion, while a food security initiative, “Earn From the Soil” project, was targeted at transforming subsistence farming to robust export driven economic opportunities.

All these efforts by the President Bola Tinubu-led administration, according to the Senator, representing Ogun West Senatorial District, Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, was to boost food efficiency, ensure food security and tackle hunger in the country.

Adeola, disclosed this, while speaking at an empowerment programme and donation of farm equipment and inputs to 3,082 farmers selected across Ogun State.

The programme, held at Ilaro in Yewa South Local Government Area of the state, saw the farmers receiving a sum of N100,000 each as financial support.

He said the N350 billion budgetary allocation was to enable all River Basins Development Authorities in Nigeria provide water for massive irrigation of farm lands, saying that the laudable initiative is in pursuant of the three seasons annual farming calendar.

Adeola, who is also the Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriations, said the presidential initiative has so far benefited from the distribution of 60,342 metric tons of improved seeds, 887.255 metric tons of seedlings and 62,328 metric tons of inorganic fertilizers with the cultivation of 118,657 hectares of wheat in 15 States.

“Equally, massive mechanization of farming is part of the Renewed Hope Agenda on Agriculture. The Federal Government is in the process of acquiring 2,000 tractors ordered from the United States of America for distribution to farmers across Nigeria. The Tinubu Administration is also working towards a holistic development of the livestock sector of agriculture and has taken the initiative of establishing a full fledged Ministry of Livestock in Nigeria to address the challenges of livestock production and boost the production of various species of livestock nationwide. A total sum of N12 billion is budgeted for the ministry and ranches will be established in 7 states including Lagos and Ogun State”, the senator stated.

He noted that the Renewed Hope Agenda of the president in the area of agriculture, has started yielding positive results in less than two years of the present administration.

“The reforms associated with the oil subsidy regime and the foreign exchange market are yielding expected results and the economy is on a course to sustained growth. Inflation, particularly food inflation, came down in February according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics. From inflation rate of 31.70% in February 2024 to 23.18% in February 2025 is over 8% drop in inflation rate. Different market surveys also indicate a significant drop in prices of some basic food items in most markets”, he added.

Speaking on the empowerment programme, Adeola explained that he facilitated the donation of farm equipment and inputs to the farmers in Ogun State in order to complement the efforts of President Tinubu’s administration and Governor Dapo Abiodun’s efforts in tackling food insufficiency as well hunger in Nigeria and the State.

“This empowerment programme which was targeted at addressing some of the challenges of our farmers is in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda on Food Security of President Tinubu’s administration. These challenges include low productivity, lack of training in modern agricultural practices, costly farm implements and seedling as well as limited access to finances”.

“A total number of 5,910 practicing farmers organized into 235 clusters and present here today have received training in various aspects of modern farming methods relative to their specialization”.

“Of this number 3,082 are benefiting directly from empowerment while other will benefit from shared equipment like tractors”.

“Among the empowerment items for the trained farmers organized in clusters are 20 tractors, 184 tricycles, 536 water pumps, 1,800 sprayers, 10,560 bags of NPK fertilizer, 2,880 Home Kit Fertilizer Seeds and 5,577 Growth Enhancers”.

“Others are 66 Nos of 13 HP Power Tillers, 2,000 gallons of insecticide, 403 Porter organic Liquid Fertilizers as well as other inputs like cassava stems, various improved seedlings, 30,000 pineapple suckers among other seeds and seedlings”.

“This programme has been timed to coincide with the beginning of the farming seasons and the expectation going forward is to enable and empower our farmers to operate at least three farming seasons in a year as part of the Renewed Hope Agenda for Food Security”.

“Each of the farmers are going home with a cash grant of N100,000 as a form of financial empowerment to enable them focus on their farming and not trade away the inputs”.

“The tractors and other motorized implements are to be used by farmers within clusters as well as other in specific locations and for this purpose, a Central Management Team of top farmers, cluster leaders and others, will be constituted to manage the operation as well as maintain the equipment for sustainability”.