The Director General, Oyo State Mobilisation Agency for Socio-Economic Development, (OYMASED), Dr Morohunkola Thomas has appealed to the people of Oyo State to take to backyard farming to complement the efforts of the Seyi Makinde’s administration on food production in order to reduce our dependence on outsiders for basic food supply.
In a statement issued in Ibadan today, Dr Thomas noted that the state government has invested huge resources in the transformation of the Fashola farms in order to promote agribusiness development in the state which has started to yield good dividend.
He noted that the State government has also been supporting small holder farmers with subsidies on tractor hiring, seedlings and the provision of over 1 billion naira as credit facilities for farmers. According to him, it is expected that these efforts will lead to bountiful harvest.
The DG also appealed to all the higher institutions of learning to devote available land on their campuses to farming activities in order to increase agricultural productivity in the State.
“Faculties of agriculture must commit available land on campuses to farming. It will go a long way to alleviate the food security challenges in the land”.
Dr Thomas further noted that the Oyo State Ministry of Agriculture through its Agricultural Extension Officers in all the 33 local governments and the headquarters as well as the Oyo State Agribusiness Development Agency (OYSADA) are prepared to assist citizens with information on how to achieve the backyard farming initiative.