Osun State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola yesterday, said his administration was fully committed to developing agriculture value chain in all strata.
The governor said this when he flagged off the Year 2020 Planting at the state secretariat, Abere, Osogbo.
He said the government had created an enabling environment for agric businesses to thrive such that more youths can earn a living and create employment through the establishment of cottage industries in the state.
About 6,000 farmers benefitted from the various farm inputs, equipment and agriculture facilities distributed by the government.
Addressing the gathering at the flag-off ceremony, Governor Oyetola said the government considered it necessary to support all farmers to boost agricultural production as part of efforts to ensure food sufficiency and availability of raw materials for industries in the state.
Oyetola, who maintained that the administration understands the importance of farmers in developing the economy of the state, disclosed that the government had engaged captains of industry to off-take farm produce in the area of arable crops and livestock to make agribusiness more profitable.
He said the state had strengthened collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)/Nigeria Cassava Grower’s Association (NCGA), Osun chapter and was firming up plans to distribute agro-chemicals, fertilizers, and herbicides to over 2,000 farmers through the Anchor Borrower Programme, which previously took care of 611 cotton growers across the state in the 2019/2020 season.