The Oyo State Government says it has taken delivery of about 25 tons of fertilisers and seedlings for the benefit of farmers in the state, at no cost.

This is in a bid to provide food production in the state.

While receiving the farming inputs on behalf of the state government at the Ministry of Agriculture zonal offices in Awe near Oyo town and Tede in Atisbo Local Government Area respectively, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Agriculture, Mr. Fajimi Shakrulahi stated that the gesture was in line with the state government's resolve to create an enabling environment for would-be investors to invest in the state.

He disclosed that the initiative was a specialized programme between the state government, Dangote and farmers in the state to boost rice production, and that the state government would serve a guarantor for the farmers.

“We have selected about 292 farmers that have one hectare of land each and above for this programme. All these inputs you are seeing are going to be giving to the farmers according to the number of hectares they have.

“So, after planting, Dangote will now be the off-taker. It will get the harvested rice back from the farmers at specified rates,” Shakrulahi explained.

He pointed out that this season, the state government would embark on plantation for 500 hectares, while disclosing that another 6,000 hectares plantation would similarly be embarked upon next year.

He noted that farmers earmarked for the plantation had been selected, adding that they had paid visit to their farms to ascertain their level of readiness for the programme.

“The state government has mandated the state’s Ministry of Agriculture to resuscitate all depleted forestry for agricultural purposes,” he disclosed, adding that the plan of the Governor was to develop the rice farmers and boost food production in the state. (Channels TV)

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