Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Kashim Shettima, President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr Akinwumi Adesina and the governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, on Saturday, turned the sod for the Oyo State Agribusiness Industrial Hub, Ijaiye, under the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone.

Shettima, who was represented by the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari and Adesina lauded Governor Makinde for his unwavering commitment and dedication to the development of Oyo State through agriculture and food security.

Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony held at Atan Village, Ijaiye, Akinyele Local Government, Senator Kyari, while delivering the message of Vice-President Shettima, said the project would unlock vast potentials and create opportunities for Oyo State residents.

He stressed that the project would also serve as a strategic partnership between the state, other states of the federation and the Federal Government.

He added that Nigeria's future as a country lies in transforming agriculture and agribusiness resources into value-added products that would enhance industries, generate employment and uplift the farmers.

The Vice-President assured that the Federal Government would support Oyo State to become a productive sector and to achieve its full potential as an agriculture hub in the country, appreciating the development partners and stakeholders for their support in laying the foundation for an agro-industrial hub in the state.

In his address, Governor Makinde, said the Ijaiye Agribusiness Industrial Hub would serve as a clear commitment to delivering on the Oyo State Roadmap for Sustainable Development, 2023-2027, in the area of repositioning agriculture as a commercial force creating jobs for youths, attracting investors and sustaining the economy of the state.

The governor, who noted that the building of agro-industrial hubs started from Fasola in Oyo zone to Eruwa in Ibarapa zone, assured that before the expiration of his tenure in 2027, he would design and hand over the designs of other agro-industrial hubs in Ipapo, Ilora and Iresa-Adu.

Stressing the importance of the agribusiness hubs, the governor reckoned that the Fasola Agro-Industrial Hub has changed the local economy of the state from poverty to prosperity, charging the people of Ijaiye community to embrace and support the project.

He equally expressed the confidence that the new agribusiness hub in Ijaiye would also be a success story like that of the Fasola Agribusiness Hub.

He appreciated the AfDB and Dr Adesina under whose leadership the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone initiative saw the light of the day, while he also lauded the Federal Government, technical partners, and all stakeholders who played a role in making the Ijaiye SAPZ a reality as well as communities that welcomed the project with open hands.

He said: "Today Is about promises kept. When we launched the Oyo State Roadmap for Sustainable Development, 2023-2027, we made a clear commitment to reposition agriculture as a centre piece of our economic transformation, not as a subsistence activity, but as a commercial force for creating jobs, attracting investments, and securing food systems. This is a groundbreaking event.

?I have 22 months to go. Dr. Adesina has one month basically or maybe 30 days. No matter what, when you are being sworn in, one day it will end. But, because we don?t want to shortchange the people of Oyo State, we?ll continue to serve them until the last hour of the last day in office.

?So, this groundbreaking of this special agro-industrial processing hub at Atan-Ijaiye is a strategic step on that journey of sustainable development.

?This is a major economic lift to our state, to our farmers, to our environment, and to our youths. Opportunity is knocking, and this time, it is local. So, let today's event be a reminder to every citizen of our state that governance is not theory; it is action, and when we say we will deliver, we mean it.

?This is not our first special agro-processing zone. We began in Fasola in the Oyo zone. Right now, we have 12 agribusinesses already operational. We moved to Eruwa in Ibarapa zone.

?We?ve been to the Oyo zone. We?ve been to Ibarapa zone. Now, we?re in Ibadan zone. This is Ijaiye. We are ensuring that the benefits of agribusiness development reach every region of our state.

?Well, let me also say this. We identified six old farm settlements established during the Western Region days. Then, the people had vision. They never thought about federal allocation; they were looking at productivity in their local environment.

?Where we are today was acquired back then, and the size they acquired was 12,000 hectares of land. For us today, we?re only developing 3,000 out of that 12,000. Out of the 3,000 hectares, the industrialised parts there will only be 300 hectares.

?In Fasola, we have broken the back. Eruwa, we have broken the back. As for Ijaiye, we are breaking the back right now. We have three other farm settlements, which are Ilora, Iresa-Adu and Ipapo. We will design them and hand them over to the next administration so that the development will go around the geopolitical zones in the state.?

Explaining the idea behind the construction of agribusiness hubs, Governor Makinde explained that the hubs are being designed as anchors of the state?s agribusiness ecosystem, which would bring producers closer to processors and link farms to markets.

?These hubs are not standalone structures. They are deliberately designed as interconnected anchors of our agribusiness ecosystem. They bring producers closer to processors and link farms to markets. They reflect our belief that agriculture is not just about food but about infrastructure, enterprise, and it is about national relevance.

?As a government, the first contract ever awarded was this 65 kilometres Moniya-Ijaiye-Iseyin from which we came off to Atan-Ijaiye here. That was the first contract by this administration in November 2019 and the logic was simple; connect the consumption zone to the producing zone.

?Let me add this; the success at Fasola has proven that this model works. The Fasola Agribusiness Transformation Centre has changed the local economy; young people are returning to the land, businesses are forming and poverty is giving way to prosperity.

?So, we expect something significant to happen here within the shortest possible time.?

Governor Makinde equally noted that apart from the agro-processing zone, which would bring in foreign direct investments, there is also the Rungis-style wholesale market, which will be located in this area, calling on residents of Akinyele Local Government to guard the additions jealously and not cave in to the antics of land speculators and grabbers.

Earlier in his remarks, the President, African Development Bank Group, Dr Adesina commended Governor Makinde for his exemplary leadership, vision and commitment to transforming the state, describing him as an action governor, while lauding the development of the Fasola Agribusiness Hub.

He noted that agribusiness is important to drive the economy, reduce post-harvest losses and create job opportunities, commending President Bola Tinubu for his support for the special agro-processing zone initiative.

He equally hailed the Vice-President for standing by the initiative, while he also commended the Minister of Finance, Mr Wale Edun, who he said made sure that the subsidiary agreements between all the states were done.

He added: "I would like to appreciate you, Governor Makinde. You are an exemplary governor and I must tell you all; he is a very efficient governor. You are very visionary, passionate, and committed, and you have a heart for the people and I am very very appreciative of everything that you do.

?Fasola settlement was one of those settlements in those days. It was moribund as many of the old farm settlements were done by our Papa Awolowo, but you actually went there and thanks to the Oyo State Agribusiness Development Agency, which has totally transformed that place.

?Today, they have about N11.1b investment by the private sector in that place, who are into all kinds of things and that is simply remarkable.

?You are an action-driven governor. You are doing an incredible job, and I want to thank you for your outstanding job and stewardship for the state.

?Agriculture is the backbone for transforming Nigeria. I do believe that Nigeria can and must be a global powerhouse in agriculture.

?Food is important. When you have cheap food, people are happy, everybody can eat, the citizens are happy and there?s peace and security in the country but you need investments to be able to do that; investments from the public sector, investments from the private sector.

?To be able to do that you also need industrial platforms that will connect primary production all the way to how you store products and how you process and add value and how you ship all that to be able to sell and that?s what the special agro-industrial processing zones are really about.

?I am delighted, ladies and gentlemen, that today the SAPZs are now being constructed in 28 sites in 11 countries. Just think about it, something that started from a small vision here. We, at the African Development Bank, put in nine hundred and thirty four million dollars to the development of these special agro-industrial processing zones and we have also mobilised nine hundred and thirty eight million dollars to develop them all across Africa.?

Also speaking, the AfDB?s Director-General, Nigeria, Dr Abdul Kamara, appreciated Governor Makinde for his support, commitment and acceleration of agribusiness industrial hubs in Oyo State.

He noted that Makinde's policy is consistent with AfDB?s approach to rural and economic transformation and vision to guarantee food security, agro-processing, agricultural transformations, industrialisation and improving livelihood.

He added that the industrial hub would unlock natural potentials and transform rural areas for economic benefits, assuring of AfDB?s maximum support to the speedy execution of the project.

Speaking about the Special Agro-industrial Processing Zones project (SAPZ), the National Project Coordinator, Dr Kabir Yusuf, explained that the programme is an agricultural production programme establishing designated zones for modern agro-production and processing clusters.

He added that the agro-industrial processing zone would process indigenous commodities produced in the state by smallholders and large-scale commercial farmers and put them on market shelves of finished goods rather than exporting the raw commodities for lower monetary value.

Also in their separate goodwill messages, Director -General, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Dr Simeon Ehui and the chairman Ijaiye Farm Settlers, Chief Olatunji, expressed gratitude to Governor Makinde for setting the pace and introducing innovation in agribusiness, assuring of continued support to the development of the project.

In his welcome address, the Director-General, OYSADA, Dr Debo Akande, said the agribusiness industrial hubs in the state would accommodate over 40 agricultural industries, provide employment for over 100,000 people and support the livelihood of more than 500,000 farmers, transforming them from peasantry to medium and large scale farmers.

He added that the projects will also transform rural villages into agro-based industrial areas linked to the economies of the peri-urban and urban areas.

The event had in attendance a former Oyo State Military Governor, General Oladayo Popoola (ret?d); Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Barr. Bayo Lawal; PDP Deputy National Chairman (South) and former Deputy Governor, Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja; former Deputy Governors of Oyo State, Engr. Hamid Gbadamosi and Alhaji Hazeem Gbolarumi.

Also in attendance were the Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin; Chief Judge of Oyo State, Justice Iyabo Yerima; Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Olanike Adeyemo; and Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor, Hon Kazeem Adeniyi.

Other dignitaries in attendance included the member representing Ibadan South-West/North-West Federal Constituency, Honourable Stanley Adedeji; member representing Iseyin/Kajola/Iwajowa/Itesiwaju Federal Constituency, Honourable Shina Oyedeji; members of the Oyo State House of Assembly; Commissioners; Local Government Chairmen and leading traditional rulers across the state.

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