Ogun State

OUTLINE OF THE STATE AGRICULTURAL POLICY TRUST, ACHIEVEMENTS ON AGRICULTURE, TREE CROP DEVELOPMENT AND G8 $20bn FOOD INITIATIVE 

A: STATE POLICY TRUST ON AGRICULTUREOVERALL OBJECTIVES

   ·         To achieve self-sufficiency in food production

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

   ·         Ensure adequate production and supply of raw materials to agro-based industries such as feed mills, food processing industries, leather and tanning, industries, etc.

   ·         Stimulate increase in the production of food of both plant and animal origin.

   ·         Mount aggressive educational campaign on the nutritional value of the various agricultural products commonly produced and marketed in the state.

   ·         To generate employment opportunities in agriculture through the development of small, medium and large scale farms and farming enterprises

   ·         To bring about integrated rural development in conjunction with other relevant government agencies in order to improve the quality of life of rural dwellers.

   ·         Protect agricultural land resources in the state from such hazards like erosion, flooding, drought, etc.

B: ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE STATE ON AGRICULTURE

The State formulated the first Cash Crop Policy document for Ogun State.     

     COCOA SEEDLING DISTRIBUTION

          o    The Ministry has produced 820,000 cocoa seedlings for sales to interested cocoa farmers at the subsidized rate of N3.00 per seedling.   The seedlings are available at the cocoa nursery sites of the ministry spread across the state.     

      FADAMA

          o    The state had successfully participated in the implementation of World Bank assisted Fadama II Programme.

          o    The State Government had approved its cash counterpart funds for Fadama III Programme at the sum of N35.8million.   

      NATIONAL PROGRAMME ON FOOD SECURITY (NPFS)

          o    Implementation of the expanded phase of the National Programme on Food Security (NPFS) in the nine LGAs of the state, thus empowering several thousands of farmers in the state.  

      FISH PRODUCTION

         o    Production of all year round fish to the general populace.

         o    The sum of N871,744.30 was provided by the state government for the rehabilitation of Odeda fish Hatchery, also equipped with necessary breeding equipment/chemicals & regular production of fish seeds (fingerlings)  

      ASSISTANCE TO POULTRY FARMERS

         o    The ministry, through the livestock department has raised 6,500 pullet chicks to the point of cage for sales to poultry farmers in the state at subsidized rates.

         o    The ministry is also raising 1000 turkey pullets for sale to the populace at subsidized rate at Christmas.  

      COMMERCIAL AGRIC CREDIT SCHEME

         o    The state is in the process of assessing the commercial agricultural credit scheme (CACS) aimed at boosting agricultural production in the state  

      NATIONWIDE TRACTOR HIRING/OWNERSHIP SCHEME

         o    The state is currently participating in Nationwide Tractor Hiring/Ownership Scheme initiated by the Federal Government and facilitated by Autobhan Techniques Ltd. The scheme involves the delivery of 50 sets of tractors with implements the cost of which will be paid by the beneficiaries, Federal and the state government at the ratio 60%, 25% and 15% respectively. The state government has paid its own share to the tune of N55,485,000.00.  

       RICE PRODUCTION AND PROCESSING

         o    Procured and distributed ten(10nos) Kubota Rice mills with Distoners to rice growing communities at 50% subsidy to rice farmers group out of which 5 had been installed and commissioned.

         o    The ministry is encouraging farmers in the state to plant rice to feed the gigantic VEETEE rice processing plants at Itori. The state government planned to cultivate 100hectatres upland and 50 hectares lowland rice during the year. 

       AGRICULTURAL SUMMIT

          o    Organized the first ever Agricultural Stakeholders Summit which was held on the 20^th November, 2008 at the Gateway Hotels, Abeokuta with the theme "Global Food and Financial Crises: Implications for Nigeria's Agriculture and Agenda for a secured future". 

       COTTON PROCESSING

          o    The processing of all the cotton seeds from cotton producing areas of the state to the Ginnery at Ibara-Orile has been completed.

          o    The State Government has made available the sum of six million naira (N6m) to buy-back the cotton processing.  

       AGRICULTURAL INPUTS

          o    The state continues to facilitate the availability of agricultural inputs to farmers at subsidized rate to its teeming farming population through the Agro-services Corporation.

          o    Agricultural show and farmer's festival: Organized the 16^th Agricultural Show and Farmers' Festival at Wasimi in Ewekoro  LGA between 24^th and 29^th November, 2008. It was adjudged very successful and attracted stakeholders in the agricultural sector.  

        FARM ESTATES PROGRAMME

            o    The Ministry in collaboration with First Bank Plc, had introduced egg production (layers) enterprises into the Farm Estates in which the State Government provided N17.6m for the procurement of hardware and infrastructure for the first phase of the programme at OGD Farm Estate in Isaga-Orile; the second phase of the programme which is in progress involves OGEGEP participants at Ijebu-Mushin Farm Estate.  

 AGRICULTURAL LAND ALLOCATION

          o    The Ministry enumerated over 2,000 hectares of Land for corporate bodies and over 100ha for individuals with a view to paying compensation to crop owners whose crops were destroyed as a result of Land allocated to investors for agricultural production and industrial purpose.

    o    The Ministry also enumerated over 500hectares of land for the Gateway International Airport project and participated in the crop compensation exercise for the Olokola Liquefied Natural Gas Project in Ogun waterside Local Government Area.o    Right now, plan is almost completed to acquired additional 10,000hectared of cultivable land for allocation to genuine investors for 2009/2010 planting season.  

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