Kenyan Agric Foundation boosts agribusiness, empowers 100 farmers
In a bid to promote and boost agricultural practice and agribusiness in the country, especially in Kwara state, the state government has declared that a Kenya-based African Agricultural Technology Foundation would support government through empowerment of 100 smallholder farmers with the needed incentives such as finance, seedlings and chemicals.
Anu Ibiwoye, the Special Adviser to Kwara State Governor on Agriculture, Rural and Water stated that 100 hectares of cassava plantation has been set aside by the Kenya Agricultural Foundation to boost agribusiness and empower 100 smallholder farmers in the State.
According to him, attaining such achievement was due to the state government’s focus on building collaboration among stakeholders in Agricultural sector.
He added, “We have flagged off (CAMAP) cassava mechanisation project, a100 hectares of cassava to be shared between 100 farmers as empowerment. This is a programme that is being sponsored by a Non-Governmental Organisation from Kenya.
“We have identified the farm land and farmers. The NGO have provided seedlings, funding and chemicals, so that at the end of plantation when the crops are harvested, the farmers would be asked to sell to government as part of empowerment. We are now expecting approval from them.
On the achievements of Kwara State Ministry of Agriculture in the last one-year, Ibiwoye said, “A very important programme the State is running in conjunction with technical assistant to the State governor, in small and medium scale enterprises and has recorded success in the ‘Off Take Demand Agric’ (OTDA).
“The scheme is running with about 160 farmers across the 16 local government areas of the state, essentially for agricultural crops: rice, soya beans, cassava and maize. We have established commodity board in the State for crops exportation,” he added.
SIKIRAT SHEHU