By James Ogunnaike, Abeokuta

The Ogun State government at the weekend flagged off the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ), aimed at empowering small holder farmers, as well and as well encourage youths and women in agricultural practices for increased food production.

The State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Hon. Bolu Owotomo, who said this at Odogbolu local government, during the official flag off ceremony and sensitization on SAPZ, said the move is aimed to transform the agricultural sector in the State.

Owotomo said, Ogun State has long been recognized as a leader in agriculture, because of its rich natural resources, fertile land and strategic locations as a gateway State to major markets in Nigeria and beyond.

The Commissioner, who urged the youths to come out en-masse to register for the programme, explained that the commencement of SAPZ in the State would unlock opportunities for improved food security, job creations, agri-preneur, import substitution as well as reduce rural poverty, disclosing that “this new project would empower 100,000 direct beneficiaries and 500,000 indirect beneficiaries comprising 50 percent women, 40 percent youth and 10 percent people living with disabilities”.

According to him, “Ogun State is promoting cassava, rice, cocoa, oil palm and timber while nine local government areas have been earmarked to benefit from this project in the first phase, which include Ijebu East, Ijebu North East, Odogbolu, Ikenne, Ijebu North, Obafemi-Owode, Odeda,Yewa North and Yewa South, while other Local Governments would be incorporated in phase Il of the project”.

He pointed out that the program has four broad components which includes, Infrastructural Development and Management of Agro-Industrial Hubs, Agricultural Productivity, Production and Market Linkages in SAPZ Catchment Areas, Policy and Institutional Development Support as well as Programme Coordination and Management, noting that the first phase of the SAPZ is designed as a tool for creating integrated agricultural focused platforms that would accelerate private sector investment in the value chain for actors.

In her welcome address, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Mrs Kehinde Jokotoye, who also doubles as the State Programme Coordinator, said government would continue to play its roles in supporting farmers in the State with inputs distribution, irrigation facilities, empowerment programmes and capacity building.

In his remark, the Chairman, Odogbolu Local Government, Hon. Babatunde Diya, who was represented by the Supervising Councilor on Agriculture, Hon. Fakoya Afuwape, said the Council is course to key into the initiative to advance agricultural production, processing as well as improved livelihood of farmers.

In their separate goodwill messages, the President of the Progressive Farmers’ Association, Mr. Adeshola Ogundare and the Youth Representative, Mrs Taiwo Oluwakemi, appreciated the Government for the timely intervention, expressing optimism that it would boost their productivity as well as create market linkages both locally and globally.

Recall that the Ogun State government through the Federal Government of Nigeria joined six other States such as Kano, Kaduna, Kwara, Cross River, Oyo and Imo, as well as the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja to apply for credit from the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the lnternational Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) under the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones, which is a programme designed for creating integrated agricultural focused platforms that would accelerate private sector’ s investment in value added agro processing to unlock opportunities for increased food security, job creations, import substitution and rural poverty reduction.