The Oyo State Government has started the distribution of agricultural inputs to 2,537 farmers across the state.
The farmers were supplied with stems of cassava, hybrid maize seeds, herbicides, and knapsack sprayers at the fourth stage of state distribution, according to Businessday.
The Oyo State Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Olasunkanmi Olaleye, in his address, while flagging off the exercise at Eruwa, Ibarapa East Local Government, noted that the distribution of inputs to farmers was also going on simultaneously at Igboora, Ibarapa Central Local Government, and Ayete in Ibarapa North Local Government.
The Commissioner also doubles as the SAfER Food Security Sub-Committee in the state.
Olaleye recalled that in the first, second, and third phases of the distribution of inputs to farmers across the state, a N1 billion loan was granted to agricultural producers through accredited microfinance banks while thousands of poultry, fishery, and pig farmers also benefited.
He explained that to mitigate the effect of fiscal distress on residents of Oyo State, it was necessary to ensure a sufficient supply of food for its citizens as well as reduce prices of foodstuffs.
“Today, we are commencing the fourth phase of Sustainable Action for Economic Recovery (SAfER), food security sub-sector. You know that, the SAfER programme has different sub-sectors, we have the food palliatives that have been distributed, we have the one on transportation, we have the one on health and this one is on food security.
“What we are doing is distribution of inputs to farmers, we are distributing cassava stems, special maize seeds that can germinate faster, we are also giving out nap-sack sprayers to farmers across Oyo State, and in addition to that, we are also giving them herbicides to protect their crops against invasion of insects and all that.
“So, in this fourth phase, not less than 2,537 farmers will benefit. You will recall that, before now, there had been three phases of food security sub-sector interventions. We have given out free maize to poultry farmers, we have given out free feeds to fish farmers, we are still distributing feeds, PKC and disinfectant to piggery farmers and this is the fourth phase”, he said.
He assured the farmers that, within a few days, free vaccination of livestock would be launched by the State Government under the SAfER programme and feed would also be distributed to support livestock farmers, and the subsidy for tractors would start in two weeks.
Olaleye said, “By next week, free vaccination of cattle and distribution of feeds to sheep and goat farmers will also commence across Oyo State. In the next ten days as well, subsidy on the use of tractors will commence, so if you cultivate five acres, the government will pay for two and a half acres, if you cultivate ten hectares, the government will pay for five acres for you.
“You will recall that the governor has distributed, through different finance houses, N1billion loan to farmers, more than three thousand farmers benefited from that. So, the whole essence is to ensure there Oyo State has abundant and sufficient food supply to bring down the prices of foodstuffs.”
Commenting on behalf of the beneficiaries, Rafiu Saheed, thanked the State Government for its support of agricultural inputs and said that these materials would have an important impact on their farms and production. Therefore, he called on other beneficiaries not to sell farm inputs, but to use them effectively to complement the efforts of the government.
