Kogi: Our Investment In Agriculture Will Eradicate Poverty, Gov. Ododo says At Wet Season Farming Flag-off

…Allocates huge farm lands to youth and women farmers 

Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo has said that his administration’s investment in agriculture is a critical step towards poverty eradication in the state.

The Governor announced that the state government has invested over seven billion Naira in farm implements with over 100 tractors to cultivate 7,324 hectares by about 10,000 farmers across the 21 local government areas in the state in the current farming season.

This was as he announced that 75 percent of the total farmland cleared for cultivation in this year’s farming season will be allocated to youth and women farmers.

Governor Ododo, who stated these at the flag off of this year’s wet season farming in the state also presented over 100 tractors to serve about 10,000 farmers in different farming communities across the 21 local government areas in the state, .

Speaking at the event in Geregu, Ajaokuta local government area of the state, Governor Ododo, who noted that over 90% of the land area in the state is arable, promised to make Kogi a leading state in agricultural production and contribute to the development of Nigeria’s economy.

Ododo said; “Across the 21 local government areas of the state, we are opening farmlands and preparing more land for cultivation of crops like rice, maize, cassava, yam and other staple food crops and grains.

“We have also procured farm implements for full scale agricultural mechanization in line with our agenda to ensure food security in the state.

“Our youth are beginning to embrace agriculture as a credible source of wealth creation and our women in agriculture are already on the field because of their belief in our commitment to transform the agricultural sector in the state.

“I call on wealthy Kogites at home and abroad to begin to explore the window of opportunities that abound in the agro industry,” he said.

Ododo commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for supporting the agricultural transformation initiatives in the country, saying that his administration has keyed into the cardinal objectives of the Renewed Hope Agenda to ensure food security in all parts of the country.

Earlier, the state Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Hon Timothy Ojoma said the commencement of the wet season farming across 79 farm clusters in the state is a significant step in the agricultural transformation agenda  of the state by Governor Ododo.