The agricultural support drive of the Oyo State Government has recorded another milestone as 100 farmers in Surulere Local Government benefitted from the fifth phase of agricultural input distribution under the Nigeria Community Action for Resilience and Economic Stimulus (NG-CARES) programme.
The event, facilitated by the Oyo State Agribusiness Development Agency (OYSADA), was held in Surulere and provided vital inputs aimed at boosting cassava production in the local government.
Each beneficiary received cassava stems, two bottles of herbicide, and a bag of NPK fertilizer, all targeted at improving yields and enhancing food production in the area.
Declaring the event open, the Director of Agriculture in Surulere Local Government welcomed the NG-CARES team and beneficiaries, describing the intervention as a crucial step in strengthening local farming capacity.
Speaking on behalf of the Executive Chairman of Surulere LG, the Supervisory Councillor for Agriculture, alongside the Head of Local Government Administration (HLGA), conveyed the Chairman’s goodwill message. They commended Governor Seyi Makinde for his unwavering commitment to rural development and agribusiness transformation, while also applauding the leadership of OYSADA’s Director General, Dr. Debo Akande. They stressed that the local government is determined to replicate these successes at the grassroots and urged beneficiaries to put the inputs to good use rather than selling them off.
Addressing the gathering, the NG-CARES State Project Coordinator, Deacon Popoola, noted that the initiative began in 2020 as a direct response to the economic challenges triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. He explained that the programme is now in its fifth implementation cycle across all 33 local governments in Oyo State, continuing to provide smallholder farmers with much-needed resources to boost productivity. He charged the farmers to apply the inputs appropriately to achieve maximum results.
Speaking on behalf of the farming community, Chief James Olawale, Chairman of the Farmers’ Cooperative in Surulere LG, expressed gratitude to the Oyo State Government, the World Bank, NG-CARES coordinators, and OYSADA for their consistent support. He called for more investment in agriculture, particularly at the grassroots, to empower farmers and improve livelihoods.
In his remarks, the NG-CARES Local Facilitator for Surulere, Adegbola Babatunde Ridwan, disclosed that this latest exercise brought the number of beneficiaries in the local government to 100 for this phase. He commended the farmers for their cooperation and thanked Governor Makinde, Dr. Debo Akande, and the state NG-CARES team for sustaining the programme’s transparency and impact.
The distribution was attended by traditional leaders, community stakeholders, and representatives of farmers’ groups, all of whom pledged their support to ensuring the inputs are used for their intended purpose.
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