Cassava Production: Ogun To Allocate 500 Hectares Of Land To Anchor Borrower's Beneficiaries

Ogun Agric. Commissioner, Dr. Odedina in discussing with other government officials at the clearing of the land in Apojola village on Monday.

Michael-Azeez Ogunsiji

ABEOKUTA - About 500 hectres of land have been prepared by the Ogun state government for the beneficiaries of the Achor Borrowers programme for cassava production.

The gesture, according to the Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Samson Odedina was to reduce unemployment to the  bearest minimum, link youths to agric opportunity to make living and provide food security.

Odedina who hinted that each beneficiary would be entitled to one hectre of land added that another focus of the state government was to train competent farmers that would tackle the challenges in the agric industry.

The Commissioner while monitoring the land alongside some top officials at the ministry in Apojola village in Odeda Local government of the state pledged that state government would link up the farmers with buyers immediately after harvest.

"We want to link up farmers and unemployed youths to land input to reduce unemployment and be on top of food security. The are building farmers to meet the challenges of the industry".

Asked whether the gesture is mainly for the educated youths in the state, the Commissioner noted that it would as well be extended to other existing farmers to make it a win-win situation.

His words "The are 40 cassava processors who have shown interest they will also be engaged and will be a win-win thing".

The Chairman, Steering Committee of the Ministry, Processor Bola Okuneye while speaking to journalists stressed that the state government has envisioned to extend the land to 7,000 to accommodate more people.

Okuneye also said that the youth should engage in agriculture to secure job opportunity as a means of employment.