The Ogun State government, through the State Economic Transformation Project (OGSTEP), has distributed water pumping machines and irrigation equipment to 100 farmers’ groups, as part of efforts to support agricultural development, improve livelihood, and enhance food security.
The state Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Bolu Owotomo, said the water pumping machines and irrigation equipment were to support farmers across the four agricultural zones in the state to ensure all season farming. Owotomo spoke at the flag–off ceremony for the distribution of the machines to beneficiaries at the OGSTEP training room, Oke-Ilewo, Abeokuta. According to him, the initiative’s goal is to boost crop yields and productivity, which would help ensure food security in the state and the nation at large.
The commissioner stressed that the state government, before now, had made significant interventions in the affairs of farmers in capacity building for 40,000 farmers, registration of 160,000 farmers under the Ogun State Farmers Information Management System (OGFIMS), 12,000 farmers shared into clusters, 65% discount given on land clearing, and construction work across all the eight farm settlements in the state, among others. He called farmers to reciprocate government gestures and OGSTEP by sharing their resources and imparting knowledge on those, who have not yet received theirs, while encouraging them to make most efficient, the use of their machines.
The ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Kehinde Jokotoye noted that all government projects have a positive impact on the sector, urging farmers to put in extra effort to guarantee the attainment of state’s food security initiatives. The Project Coordinator, Mrs. Mosunmola Owo-Odusi, stated that the state government is interested in the improvement of farmers since food security is necessary for survival and that OGSTEP was one of the tools the government had used to assist farmers. On behalf of beneficiaries, Usman Adekanbi from Ipokia, and Mrs. Tosin Ogunkola from Ijebu–Ode areas of the state, lauded the Ogun State government and OGSTEP for the timely intervention.
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