From News Editor
As part of efforts to boost food security, the Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, has said that construction work on ultramodern dormitories at the farm settlements across the Local Governments areas would commence within the next three weeks.
The Governor also vowed to return the state to the farm settlement era witnessed in the old Western Region under the leadership of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, in order to boost agriculture and food security.
The Governor who undertake a visit to young farmers in three cluster areas in the state, yesterday disclosed this during his visit to the Emure, Ikere and Aramoko Farm settlements.
He also said about 930 youths are involved in the youth agriculture scheme known as “ Bring Back Youth into Agriculture” being carried out the state government in collaboration with a private entity YSJ Farms.
Under the scheme the Government provides land to the young farmers, assists them with land clearing and seedlings as well as agric extension services among others. It also has an arrangement to buy their products for storage purposes.
The Governor said he was determined to invest hugely in agriculture, as a form of empowerment for the youths, to ensure food security and to drive industrialization, saying that revamping the old farm settlement strategy of the late Chief Awolowo was the only way to ensure the young farmers stay on the farms and maximize government’s support for the scheme.
The proposed dormitories for the young farmers, according to him, would have facilities like sitting rooms, kitchens, security posts, sick bays, among others in his administration’s bid to attract more young farmers into agribusiness and turn the state into a huge agriculture hub.
Oyebanji also assured of the readiness of his administration to expedite action on other requests of the young farmers which include motorable roads, security at the locations and provision of vehicles and motorcycles to aid mobility of the participants.
Responding to the issue of security concern raised by the young farmers, the Governor assured them of security in all the clusters visited, adding that a massive security cordon has been woven around the locations which he said would be consolidated upon to eliminate all forms of criminality in the area.
“The land we are returning to now were last cleared by Chief Awolowo during his time as Premier in Western Region.
“This is the beginning of greater things that will happen in Ekiti State. Western Region was renowned for agriculture under Chief Awolowo and he developed Western Region without oil money and we had food surplus in those days. With what we are doing with our youths now, we are returning to the era of Awolowo’s farm settlements.
“In Ekiti State, only six local government chairmen have keyed into this initiative. I want to ask other local government chairmen that have not keyed into this project to do so. Within the next three weeks, construction of the dormitories will start. We now have more youths showing interest in the scheme, they will have that opportunity to join in the next stage once we get more land”, the Governor added .
The Ogoga of Ikere Ekiti, Oba Adejimi Adu Alagbado, who accompanied Oyebanji to Ikere farm settlement, declared that it is self indicting for any Yoruba man to complain of hunger.
The monarch said he was always taken aback seeing young men selling handcherchief, table water instead of being in the farm.
He lauded the Governor’s vision to invest in agriculture pledged the support of his kingdom for the project and charged the youths of the town who are participants in the scheme to work hard and justify their inclusion.
End.
