The Ogun State government has proposed a budget of N21 billion to strengthen the country’s agricultural sector in 2018 in order to ensure food security and reduce Nigeria’s food import bill.
Presenting the bill before the State House Assembly in fulfilment of section 121 of the 1999 constitution as amended, Amosun said that the N21 billion appropriated to agriculture represented 6.1 per cent of the total budget of N345.4 billion proposed for 2018, according to a statement made available to BusinessDay.
According to the governor, his government will continue to invest in agriculture because of its huge potential of job creation for the populace especially the youths.
He stated that his government will seek to improve the average age of farmers which is 60 years in Nigeria by encouraging the youths to take-up farming not only as a profession but as a business.
Amosun, therefore, said that in 2018, the state will encourage 10,000 youths to take part in Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Anchor Borrowers Programme with the government ready to providexpertse advicetraininggs as well as cleared land.
READ ALSO: FCMB deepens empowerment of SMEs in Ogun State
He added that Ogun will also resolve farm disputes to encourage more food production while interested farmers will have access to land.
Governor Amosun also announces that the state is constructing six poultry pens with 10,000 capacity each at the Odeda Farm Institute to encourage protein intake and provide employment opportunity while 1,000 earthen fish ponds are also been dig in the three senatorial districts of Ogun state namely Odeda ,Imasayi and Ikenne.
He also stated that Ogun will embark on large production of vegetables both at the open field and greenhouses in all the three senatorial districts while plantations will also be established for pineapple and banana across the entire state.
Amosun added that the state will continue to encourage the production of local rice known as Ofada as well as cassava which it has a comparative advantage.
A cluster farm of over 2,000 hectares of cassava farm will soon be established in Owowo in Ewekoro Local Government while the state will by next month launch its branded rice, he concluded.
Josephine Okojie
