Farmers hail FG, Ogun for rice milling centres location

·        Partner Harvest plus

The representative of the leader, cluster youth farmers, Mr. Yakub Olowookere has hailed the Federal and Ogun state Governments for the  rice processing centres and  irrigation facility located very close to end users at Yelwa North local Council saying their advantages for agricultural development would be enormous to job and wealth creations. This was stated in a press release made available to Food Farm News.

Olowookere expressed farmers’ happiness to FG and state Government  for deeming it right to situate rice milling centres with irrigation facility nearer to the people for the purpose of agricultural development, saying the multiplier effects  would always be remembered in terms of wealth creation and food security for human livelihood.

He pointed that this was commitment on the part of government to agricultural development and job creation, thereby advised farmers to effectively utilize the facilities for more empowerment and food security.

The statement also credited the Agric Commissioner, Dr. Adeola Odedina as saying that the FG is set to hand over the rice mills and irrigation facility located at Shangisha, Eegua at Yewa North Local Government of the state while fielding questions from journalists during the inspections of the two facilities saying that the state would be willingly ready to take over them towards the boosting of rice productivity.

Odedina explained that the irrigation facility was strategically located to enhance increased rice production as more youths would be encouraged to taking advantages and opportunities in farming for better livings.

In another development, the Ogun State Government has revealed its plans to partner with an international food and nutrition Agency ‘’ Harvest Plus’’ Nigeria on bio-fortified cassava and other crops as a sustainable agriculture intervention for health and income generation saying the partnership would ensure better nutritional food for the citizen of the state.

 Odedina, while receiving the representatives of the Bill Gates funded Agency in his office at Oke- Mosan, Abeokuta, revealed that one of the visions of the current administration was to leverage on the strengths of the private sector to ensure food security and increase peoples’ income generation as access to bio-fortified foods like vitamin A cassava, maize, zinc, rice and orange fleshed sweet potatoes are guaranteed.

The Country Director, Harvest Plus Nigeria, Dr. Paul Ilona  appreciated the efforts of the State Government for her determination to upscale agriculture to ensuring food security, adding that food should be seen as tool to nutrition and it must primarily target first 1000 days of a child.