Maize and Soya beans farmers in Ekiti will receive a support fund of
₦3.5 billion this planting season.
This was disclosed in Ado Ekiti by the Managing Director of Terra
Agricultural Support Company, Mr. Reye Haveman, at a meeting with the
representatives of the state government led by the Commissioner for
Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr Folorunso Olabode and the
Technical Adviser to the Governor on Agriculture, Engr. Olukayode
Ilesanmi.
Mr. Haveman said he chose to invest the huge sum of money in the state
because of the availability of adequate storage facilities, land as
well as willing farmers, adding that the farmers would be supported in
mechanization, training, input supplies, harvesting and off-taking of
products.
The Managing Director (MD), said he was relying on the list of farmers
and data provided by the State Government in the execution of the
project, stressing the need for all stakeholders to display
transparency and honesty in order to protect both the government’s and
the company’s image that were built over the years.
He said he would sign a memorandum of understanding, on behalf of the
company with the state government, adding that under the proposal, all
farm locations under the organization’s support would be monitored
through satellite every 72 hours so as to stay in touch with the
farmers and have the knowledge of the prevailing situations.
Mr. Haveman, who hinted that his organization was working on how to
divest into supporting cocoa farmers in Ekiti, Ondo and Edo States,
assured of hybrid and improved seeds supply to the farmers next year’s
planting season.
While answering questions on some grey areas of the investment, the MD
said that the pricing of products would be based on the prevailing
market situation, adding that the organization has come to stay
permanently in Ekiti to aggressively support farmers attain their
goals.
He also revealed that Terra group was working towards creating a value
chain by encouraging local processing of farm products, adding that
most of his programmes for the state could not be executed this year
as a result of bureaucratic bottlenecks that have delayed the
commencement of the project in the state.
Responding, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development,
Mr. Folorunso Olabode assured the investor that the state was
desirable of having his team, who share the same vision of making the
state economically buoyant and poverty reduction through agriculture
at this critical era of dwindling oil price.
Mr. Olabode, who disclosed that some other agriculture-based
organization have signified interest at investing in the sector,
charged them to make their support timely, accurate, qualitative and
reasonably cheap and affordable to the farmers.
The Commissioner called for transparency in the grading of products as
well as involving government extension officers in the monitoring and
training of participating farmers on the field at the full
commencement of the programme.
In his contribution, the Technical Adviser to the Governor on
Agriculture, Engr Olukayode Ilesanmi stressed the importance of
supplying the farmers with high yielding seeds, quality herbicides,
pesticides and fertilizers.
At the end of the meeting, it was disclosed that a memorandum of
understanding would be signed on Tuesday between the state government,
as represented by the governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi and the organization
at the governor’s office.
Also present at the meeting are the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of
Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr Adedapo Akinola, General
Manager, Directorate of Farm Settlements, Mr Oludare Asaolu, General
Manager, Fountain Agricultural Management Agency (FAMA), Engr
Olugbenga Odesanmi, and the Project Manager, Agricultural Development
Project, Mr Yakubu Oladele.
Others at the meeting include the Rector of the College of Agriculture
and Technology, Prof Johnson Adesodun, who was represented by a
lecturer in the institution, Dr Toluwase Dada, Director of Produce,
Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Remi Oguntuase, Director, Administration
and Supplies, Mr Fasusi and other directors in the Ministry.
