FARMERS TO GET ASSISTANCE FROM OGUN GOVERNMENT

FARMERS TO GET ASSISTANCE FROM OGUN GOVERNMENT The Ogun State Government has pledged to assist farmers imbibe best agricultural practices that will increase yields and ensure food sufficiency in the State. Commissioner for Agriculture, Mrs. Adepeju Adebajo who stated this at the harvesting of a hectare Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) Cassava Demonstration Farm at Alagada village near Oba in Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of the State, said government had made officials of the Ministry, especially agriculture extension workers available to teach farmers modern farming techniques. She said with best agricultural practices such as proper ploughing, harrowing, healthy seeds, adequate spacing of crops, application of appropriate fertilizers, herbicides and insecticides as well as proper maintenance of their farms, farmers would get the best yields and break away from traditional ways of farming which was outdated and less result-oriented. Mrs Adebajo therefore implored the farmers to make the best use of the opportunity provided by the State Ministry of Agriculture officials and other extension workers to learn modern way of farming for maximum yield. On the TME 419 cassava variety planted on the one hectare demonstration farm, the Commissioner said the 51 metric tonnes of cassava harvested was a national record compared to an average of 17 metric tonnes per hectare using the traditional methods of farming. Speaking earlier, the Chief Executive Officer of Agriq Business Services, a private extension provider who supervised the demonstration farm on behalf of the Ogun State Value Chain Development Programme, Mr. Ibikunle Onasanya, said such project would be replicated in four other Local Government Areas of Ijebu East, Ijebu North-East, Yewa North and Ifo.