As part of its continuous efforts to enhance quality and increased farm produce in order to boost food security, Oyo State Government in continuation of its SAfER program has distributed farm inputs to farmers across six local governments in Oke-Ogun Zone.
Unveiling the distribution at Saki West Local Government on Friday, the State Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development and Chairman Subcommittee of SAfER on Food Security, Barr. Olasunkanmi Olaleye said the 4th phase of the farm inputs distribution was Officially flagged off at Ibarapa East, Eruwa and 2537 arable farmers across Oyo State will derive benefit from the inputs distribution. According to the Honourable Commissioner, distribution is ongoing simultaneously at six local Governments in Oke Ogun which include ATISBO, Saki West, Oorelope, Kajola, Iwajowa and Itesiwaju respectively.
Speaking through the Director, Regulation and Enforcement, Mr. Olusegun Ezekiel, beneficiaries would go home with
herbicides, knap-sack sprayer tank, 16kg hybrid maize seeds, insecticide and 20 bundles of improved cassava stems.
According to him, 766 arable farmers would be given the inputs in the six aforementioned local governments in Oke Ogun zone of the State. He stressed further that the target was to ensure the farmers get the input at the very point of needs having in mind that the planting season which is the most actual time for planting is now.
The Commissioner equally revealed that the fifth phase of the SAfER on food security which includes free vaccination for cattles, distribution of feed to goat and sheep farmers as well as Subsidy on the use of tractors for farmers will commence in the next few days.
In their separate remarks, the Baale Agbe ATISBO and Oorelope, Mr. Daniel Oketola and Mr. Oladunni Isaiah as well as the Woman leader, Oorelope farmers, Mrs. Mogbonjubola Ibrahim commended Governor Seyi Makinde for the succour given to the farmers saying that the input was timely as this has never happened to real farmers in the State before. They therefore urged farmers in the state to make judicious use of the inputs and promised to reciprocate the good gesture by reflecting in the prices of farm produce.