By Adeyinka Adeniran
Farmers from the across the six local governments in Oke Ogun area of Oyo state including: Atisbo, Saki West, Oorelope, Kajola, Iwajowa and Itesiwaju have began to receive farm inputs and agricultural assets to aid food production.
State Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Olasunkanmi Olaleye, who supervised the distribution said the government remain committed to enhancing quality and increased farm produce, in order to boost food security in the state.
He said the flag-off of the distribution in the six LGAs is part of the ongoing Sustainable Action for Economic Recovery programme (SAfER) effort of the state government to help cushion economic hardship among the farmers.
Unveiling the distribution at Saki West Local Government, the Commissioner, who doubles as the Chairman, Food Security under SAfER, Olasunkanmi Olaleye said the 4th phase of the farm inputs distribution was officially flagged off at Ibarapa East, Eruwa where about 2537 farmers across Ibarapa zones benefited.
He said the distribution was ongoing simultaneously at the six local governments in Oke Ogun axis of the state.
Speaking through the Director, Regulation and Enforcement, Mr. Olusegun Ezekiel, the Commissioner noted that the move was part of the state government plan to cushion the effect of subsidy removal, adding that beneficiaries would go home with herbicides, snap-sack sprayer tank, 16kg hybrid maize seedlings, insecticide and 20 bundles of improved cassava stems.
According to him, about 766 arable farmers would be given inputs in the six local governments in Oke Ogun.
The Commissioner equally revealed that the fifth phase of the SAfER scheme in the food sector, includes free vaccination for cattles, distribution of feed to goat and sheep farmers as well as subsidy on the use of tractors for farmers will commence in the next few weeks.
In their separate remarks, the Baale Agbe Atisbo and Oorelope, Mr. Daniel Oketola and Mr. Oladunni Isaiah commended Governor Seyi Makinde for bringing succour to farmers in the state.
While the farmer-heads noted that the distribution was timely, they urged farmers to make judicious use of the inputs.
