MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE

ALHAJI WALIU TAIWO
Hon. Commissioner for Agriculture

BRIEF HISTORY

The Ogun State Ministry of Agriculture was carved out from the Ministry of Agriculture of the former Western State in 1976.  The Ministry is a statutory government agency charged with the responsibility of coordinating all activities relating to agricultural production efforts in the State.

FUNCTIONS OF THE MINISTRY

Agricultural development efforts all over the world have assumed a wider dimension.  It is in recognition of this fact that the functions of the Ministry of Agriculture continue to change in line with the State government's policy.  Basically, the overall objectives of the Ministry of Agriculture are to achieve self sufficiency in food production, provide raw materials for agro-based industries, as well as attain a desirable level of foreign exchange earnings.

In addition to these broad policy objectives the Ministry is charged with the following statutory functions:

(i) To foster increased production of crops and livestock for the consumption of rapidly increasing population of the State in particular and the federation in general;

(ii) To modernize and mechanise agricultural production activities in order  to increase, in quality and quantity, its export crops, food crops, tree crops and livestock in order to improve the country's income generating  capability;

(iii) To ensure the continuous and adequate supply of Forestry products through the development and orderly exploitation of the State's forest resources in order to protect the State's environment and ecology;

(iv) To bring abut integrated rural development in conjunction with other relevant government agencies in order to improve the quality of life of the rural dwellers.

ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE OF THE MINISTRY

The Permanent Secretary, as the Accounting Officer of the Ministry, assists the Commissioner in formulating policy guidelines for agricultural development in the State.  He also coordinates the activities of the Departments and Units of the Ministry.  The Ministry is structured into seven departments in line with the re-organisation in the Civil Service.  These departments are:

(i)   Planning Research and Statistics

(ii)  Finance and Administration

(iii)  Veterinary Services

(iv) Livestock services

(v) Agricultural Services

(vi) Fishery Services

(vii) Produce Services

Each department is headed by a Director who reports to the Permanent Secretary.

LIST OF COMPLETED PROJECTS

Within the agricultural sector of the State, the Ministry has completed the underlisted projects.

(a) REHABILITATION OF THE ODEDA FARM INSTITUTE:

The Odeda Farm Institute was in a state of disrepair. With the advent of the Gbenga Daniel Administration in Ogun State , the Institute has witnessed a new look.  The Institute has once again become a bee- hive of activities as it is used as a training centre for the Ogun State Employment  Generation Programme (OGEGEP).

(b)   EMPLOYMENT GENERATION PROGRAMME:    

The present administration of Otunba Gbenga Daniel informed the good people of Ogun State of his determination to tackle the unemployment problem.  To this end, he promised to create over 40,000 jobs within the first 12 months of his administration, using agriculture as the focal point of the policy thrust.

In order to achieve the above stated objectives, the unemployed youths who were interested in agriculture and other agriculture related ventures were registered in all the Local Government Areas of the State.  A 5 day induction training programme was conducted for the 2,600 applicants in the 20 Local Government Areas of the State.  At the end of the induction training programme, 1000 participants were selected throughout the State for the training proper.

The 1000 unemployed youths went through a 3-month intensive vocational training in Crop, Livestock and Fish production at the Odeda Farm Institute, starting from August 2003, to the end of October 2003.  During the training, the participants were given stipends during and after the training period to lessen their financial burden.

The analysis of the unemployed youths selected from the 20 Local Government Areas is presented below:

Grand Total = 1,000 participants

(c) ESTABLISHMENT OF FARM ESTATES:

It is the policy of the State Government to establish 20 Farm Estates, one in each of the 20 Local Government Areas.  The participants will eventually be settled in these farm Estates.  Meanwhile, construction of 8 room blocks of buildings has started in about 3 locations of the farm estates.  In addition, the 1000 graduates are to be settled at Sawonjo, Afon, Ibara-orile, Isara,Ogbogbo/Ilugun/Iworo Idekan camp (Apoje) in Ijebu-Igbo and Imushin.

(d) OGUN STATE AGRICULTURAL CREDIT AGENCY (OSACA):

The present administration has successfully established the Ogun State Agricultural Credit Agency (OSACA).  The agency is expected to grant agricultural credit to farmers in the State.  In addition, it (OSACA) was established as a back up for the State Employment  Generation Programme.  Presently, the agency has collected completed application forms from prospective applicants and as soon as the processing of these forms is completed, loans will be disbursed to successful applicants.

(e) ACQUISITION OF FARM TRACTORS AND IMPLEMENTS:

The State Government has successfully purchased and commissioned a total of 26 new tractors and their implements to support its Employment Generation programme.  Another batch of 24 tractors with their implements will be delivered in due course.

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE IN AGRICULTURE

The Departments in the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry are professionally competent and are prepared at all times to render professional advisory services to would -be investors in agricultural ventures.  Such advisory services include preparation of feasibility reports on proposed projects, establishment and management of crops and livestock projects, treatment and rearing of farm animals including fish and fish products etc.

The Ministry of Agriculture through the Land Allocation Committee allocates agricultural Land to would-be farmers at the rate of x250/Ha in the first year of allocation and x200/Ha for the subsequent years.  About 126,633.40 Ha of Land has been acquired to date while a total of 38,377 Ha has been allocated to prospective farmers and investors.  The land is quite suitable for the production of our major export crops.

The State Government has provided an enabling environment for private participation in its forestry regeneration programme.  This sub-sector has very high foreign exchange potentials.  The State also has high potentials and capacity to generate foreign exchange through the production and exportation of cash crops which abound in the State.  These cash crops include cocoa, cashew, palm produce, rubber, coffee, ginger etc