Southwest set to revive agric sector, agrees on backward integration policy

Governors of South West states recently converged on Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, over a backward integration policy on agricultural production aimed at re-positioning the agricultural sector of their respective states.

This is towards driving socio-economic growth and enhancing integration plans of the South West states. The South West backward integration policy, according to official report, is expected to focus on capacity building of farmers and agriculturalists in the region, finance of farmers and agricultural production, preservation and processing through credit facility and government subventions as well as technical intervention.

The agric parley, which was attended by Jide Arowosafe, Gbolahan Lawal, Ronke Sokefun, commissioners for agriculture in Ekiti, Lagos and Ogun states, respectively, as well as Kunle Adeduntan, permanent secretary, ministry of agriculture, Oyo State, showed that the region had concluded plans to revive agriculture that used to be its economic mainstay.

Speaking with newsmen after the parley, Jide Arowosafe, commissioner for agriculture, Ekiti State, disclosed that the four states had agreed to have a unified way of financing agricultural projects and building the capacity of farmers rather than doing it individually, adding that this would go a long way in repositioning agriculture as the mainstay of the economy.

The states also resolved to promote the use of mechanised farming to enhance food production and where necessary, create an atmosphere for any of them found lagging behind to catch up with others, Arowosafe said, adding that farmers’ capacity building programmes would be jointly organised on new trends in farming practices through a joint training institute.

By: RAZAQ AYINLA, ABEOKUTA