The Ogun Government on Friday said no fewer than 40,000 farmers would benefit from the free farm inputs to be distributed by the state Economic Transformation Project (OGSTEP).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The agency is an initiative being sponsored by the World Bank to support farmers in the state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dr Oluseyi Olugbere, Acting Project Manager Agric Sector, OGSTEP, said this at the familiarisation, validation and distribution of free inputs to farmers at Sode village, Obafemi town and Ajerose village in Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of the state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Olugbere said the exercise was meant to strengthen the agricultural value-chain by supporting the smallholder farmers with improved seedlings including maize, cassava, cocoa, cashew, and rice among others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to her, the support will improve the farmers\u2019 livelihood, boost food production, create jobs and also increase the private sector participation in the state with regard to boosting the economy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOur objective of the project is to support 40,000 farmers that are involved in all the value-chain the project is supporting for a five-year cycle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe support is being designed in a way that a farmer will contribute at least one hectare of farmland, where the seedlings will be planted and during harvesting, they will be linked to the off- takers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe already have off-takers\u2019 involvement, value chain development firms that will be coming around to monitor and make sure they produce profitably,\u2019\u2019 the acting project manager said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to Olugbere, Ogun is one of the lucky states, as only two states, Ogun and Kaduna benefited from the economic transformation project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n