Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, has restated his administration’s resolve to use the agric sector as a platform for the diversification of the state’s economy, in view of the hard times that may arise as a result of the Covid-19 ravaging the world.
The governor also stressed the need for the state to convert its knowledge capacity to agricultural technology and achieve higher productivity and yield as well as reduction in post-harvest losses which the state has suffered for years.
Fayemi made this known, yesterday during the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the state government and a Dutch agric investment group, Villam Agric Ltd. in Ado-Ekiti. The group is committing N3.5 billion into the project.
Governor Fayemi explained that Ekiti used to be the cocoa capital of Nigeria and hoped that with the various interventions from both local and international agricultural concerns, the state would soon bounce back to its original position in the sector.
He said his administration was partnering a number of other institutions like Dangote Group, Promasidor, Stallion Group and a few others to help reposition the sector to improve food production in the state.
He assured the investors that all the resources they require for their activities such as land, water and human capital are readily available for them to deliver on their plans and programmes.
“For us, it is time to convert our knowledge capacity to agric technology, higher productivity and yield and reduction in post-harvest losses that we have suffered for years,” he said.