Kogi State government has announced the release of over seven Billion Naira to acquire farm implements with over 100 tractors for distribution to no fewer than 10,000 farmers across the 21 local government areas of the State.
The farmers are expected to cultivate 7,324 hectares of farm land in the current farming season.
The State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo, who made this known when he formally flagged off this year’s wet season farming in Geregu, Ajaokuta local government area of the state today, June 1, said that over 100 tractors have been supplied to the farmers in different farming communities.
Governor Ododo said that investment in agriculture is a critical step towards poverty eradication in the state, adding that 75 percent of the total farmland cleared for cultivation in this year’s farming season will be allocated to youth and women farmers.
The Governor said that over 90% of the land area in the state is arable and promised to make the state a leading one in agricultural production.
“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 believe 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.”
The state Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Timothy Ojoma said at the flagoff that 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.
