Oyo, Osun refocus on agriculture to create wealth

Having discovered key economic areas of comparative advantages in the face of dwindling revenue allocation and less industrial activities, the governments of Oyo and Osun states have resolved to redefine and refocus on agriculture and agricultural practices as part of efforts to make up with revenue slides with the creation of wealth and employment opportunities.

Oyo and Osun states are part of many Nigerian states badly affected with sudden shortfalls in revenue allocations from the federal government with serious attendant crises, which have been preventing the two states to meet up with obligations and wage bills, prompting a re-investment in commercial and youths-based agriculture and agro-allied practices.

Speaking on State’s resolution to re-embrace agriculture and agro-allied practices at the graduation of 1,434 entrepreneurs held at CBN-Entrepreneurship Development Centre held in Ibadan last week, Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo state declared that Oyo was launching Agricultural Rebirth Programme to fight poverty, and create employment opportunities.

The governor, who was represented by Olalekan Ali, secretary to the State Government, said that Oyo State Agricultural Rebirth Programme was designed in such a way that public and private sectors were fused together to drive massive investment in agriculture to generate employments and devise sustainable means of revenue and wealth creation.

Ajimobi disclosed that 10,000 metric tons of silos would be constructed in all three senatorial districts of the State for effective storage and preservation of farm produce grown and harvested by farmers across the State, adding that efforts were underway to guarantee value addition of the produce and connect farmers with off-takers of agricultural produce.

“The time has come for public and private sectors to stimulate economy with varied enterprises in order to effectively fight poverty create employment opportunities as well as sustainable wealth creation. We will have Oyo State Agricultural Rebirth Programme with our Nuclear Farm Institute. We are also planning to construct 10,000 metric tons of silos in the three senatorial districts of Oyo state,” he said.

“One in each of senatorial districts so that whatever produced by farmers will be stored and preserved, and in order to guarantee food security and ensure value addition to our farm produce. We are partnering with private investors in order to add value to our agricultural produce and to create wealth and employment opportunities for our teeming, jobless youths”, he added.

Also, Rauf Aregbesola of Osun state disclosed that government was trying to have a refocus on agriculture and agribusiness as a means of revenue generation, employments creation as well as to ensuring food security through training of youths and jobless residents in the key economic areas, including agriculture and agribusiness.

Aregbesola, who was represented by Abimbola Oso, co-ordinating director, Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Co-operatives and Employment, noted that investment in agriculture as a means economic diversification had massively begun in Osun state to fight hunger, poverty in a short term, but to create sustainable frameworks that improves economy in a long term.

“We are deeply involved in the training of youths as entrepreneurs, especially in key areas of agriculture and agribusiness, in the Southwest. We have already had centre for that. One of the action plans of the State of Osun is to fight poverty and barnish unemployment in the State and the entire Southwest”, he concluded.

RAZAQ AYINLA