By Kehinde Gbadeyanka, a Member of the GSM Advocates
The economy of Oyo state is based chiefly on agriculture and handicrafts. Oyo state takes lead in the production of yams, corn, cassava (manioc), beans, millet, plantains, tobacco, cacao, palm oil and palm kernels, cotton, kola nuts, indigo, and fruits.
The state is also noted for its cottage industries, consisting of cotton spinning, weaving, dyeing, leatherworking (sheep and goat skins), wood carving, and mat making. Industries in Ibadan, the second largest city in Nigeria, include a cannery, a brewery, a publishing industry, a tobacco-processing factory, wood- and steel-furniture factory, and a motor-vehicle assembly plant.
For the sustainability of this, Governor Makinde’s administration has continued to prioritize growing the economy of the state since the inception of his administration to move the people from poverty to prosperity via agriculture.
This is in a bid for the state to be able to produce foods to herself, empower people and boost the economy.
Governor Makinde has restored the sector through bringing back the monumental achievements that we known for during Chief Awolowo’s regime in which Oyo took first in production of agricultural products.
He has turned the things around and restored our own glory of productivity, professionalism and originality in Agric hub. He has relaunder Oyo’s state image immensely through the initiative of Agric business.
Makinde has continue to transform agriculture in the state by changing the form it used to be in the past. The modern requirement has set in and it is yielding good results.
It’s no doubt Mr. Governor has positioned the sector the way it should be and made us to be best among others. He has been on track through injecting developmental initiative to the sector.
Little wonder the state was selected as part of pilot states in Nigeria for the West African Competitiveness Program under the 11th Europe Development Fund(EDF).
Over the years of his administration, over eleven thousands Oyo youth have been trained as agripreneurs and certified through Agric business at ISAC-CSS in Nasarawa. The first of kind in the history of the state.
Another laudable achievement is Fashola Agric business and Industrial Hub(upgraded to that of advanced bloc) and disbursement of agricultural equipment, products and cash to the youth(via YEAP) and farmers in all zones of the state
His agriculture initiative has brought in many investment into rural area as we are having supermarkets and mini-marts across the less cities of the state.
This is automatically reducing unemployment rate in the state. It’s no doubt completion of Fashola Agric hub will nearly put an end to agricultural challenges in the state as all agricultural products will be made available in the proximity.