Mariam Akinloye & Usman Aroyewun (Trainee)
The Executive Chairman of Igbogbo/Baiyeku Local Council Development Area (IBLCDA), Omo’ba Hammed Olalekan Aroyewun, has empowered vegetable and rice farmers with agricultural inputs and modern farming training as part of efforts to boost food production and security in the council area.
The distribution of the farm inputs and training for about 200 beneficiaries took place at the IBLCDA Secretariat Hall on Monday
At the event tagged, “HOA Agric Empowerment Training and Farm Input Support Programme”, the vegetable farmers were presented each with seeds pack that contains tomato, pepper, and okra seeds; fertilizer, and also insecticide alongside knapsack sprayers, while the rice farmers received rice seed, knapsack sprayers, insecticide, fertilizers, as well as the rice milling machine.
In an interview with Aroyewun, the council chairman explained that the initiative was designed to encourage and support farmers, describing agriculture as a critical sector for the economic development of the country and the council area.
He noted that agriculture remained a major priority under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu; the Development Agenda of Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his administration’s Glory Agenda, stressing that the council considered it necessary to support farmers by providing essential inputs to make their agricultural activities easier and more productive.
“So, we deemed it fit that we must encourage and support our farmers in our own little way. That’s why we have made these items available for them to make their activities and business seamless. Agriculture is a business and a major one. So, we have made available every logistics that is needed for them to thrive in their business. This is what we have done to make it comfortable for them,” he said.
The chairman urged beneficiaries to make judicious use of the items provided and serve as examples to other farmers.
“Our message is clear. They must utilise the items judiciously, and they must set a good example for others. They should use it well so that others can learn from them,” he added.
The Supervisor for Agriculture, Hon. Idris Ogunyemi, explained that the programme was designed to address some of the agricultural challenges facing the council area, particularly the limited availability of farmland. He noted that Igbogbo/Baiyeku was surrounded by swamps and water bodies, creating opportunities for residents in such locations to engage in rice cultivation.
“We are real farmers in Igbogbo/Baiyeku and my chairman has decided to empower us. We want to encourage our people that are close to water bodies to go into rice farming.
Also, we want to train people on how to make good use of the available space even as limited as it is in Igbogbo/Baiyeku LCDA. We want to teach us and introduce us to modern techniques that we can make use of and let us know that with the small land area that we have, that we can still engage ourselves in vegetable farming profitably,” he said.
The Supervisor for Agriculture emphasised that the initiative is to aid families to produce what they eat and at the same time derive economic power from farming. He encourages beneficiaries to make good use of the farm implements they have been supported with.
“Basically, through this, we’ll be able to feed ourselves, feed our families, and if there is excess production, we can sell to our neighbors and the community at large.”
“The chairman, in his kindness, has also decided to distribute farm inputs both for the rice farmers and also for the vegetable farmers in Igbogbo/Baiyeku LCDA. These are for selected and registered vegetable and rice farmers in Igbogbo/Baiyeku LCDA, and I want us to make good use of this opportunity.”
The training facilitator, and the Chief Executive Officer of Real Farmer Agro Innovation Limited, Mr Toviessi Bonaventure, commended the chairman for recognising the importance of supporting farmers.
He described the training as an eye-opener that would help farmers identify mistakes in their farming practices and improve productivity through the adoption of modern techniques.
“This is an eye-opener. This is going to create awareness of what farmers have been doing wrong by saying there’s no productivity, there’s no money. Lagos presents a huge potential for farmers, so what we just need is to equip ourselves and get the right knowledge,” he said.
Bonaventure urged farmers not to abandon agriculture because of the challenges they might encounter, advising them to embrace farming as a career, acquire relevant knowledge and learn from successful practitioners.
Also speaking, the Vice Chairman of the council, Barrister Ade Ayeni, who represented the Executive Chairman at the presentation/ training programme, stressed the importance of agriculture to the survival and prosperity of every community.
He said the programme was designed not only to provide farmers with equipment but also to equip them with the knowledge required to adopt modern agricultural practices.
“We cannot afford to joke with our farmers. We must ensure that we equip them to carry out their activities effectively and efficiently,” he said.
Ade Ayeni added that the training was necessary to keep farmers informed about technological developments in the agricultural sector.
Some of the beneficiaries expressed appreciation to the council chairman, describing the intervention as timely and beneficial to their farming activities.
Mrs Olaniyi Olusola, a farmer from Offin/Oreta who cultivates maize, pepper and vegetables, said the knapsack sprayer and insecticide she received would reduce the cost of hiring people to assist her on the farm.
She explained that the support would make it easier for her to maintain her one-plot farm without relying heavily on external assistance.
Similarly, Mr Omobua Joseph, another beneficiary from Offin-Oreta who engages in yam and maize farming, said the items would make farm clearing faster and reduce the stress associated with his work.
Yet another beneficiary, Mrs Elizabeth Adedeji, owner of Elizade Poultry and Farming, from Oko Filling, Olumo, said the agricultural inputs would help her apply fertiliser and insecticides to improve crop growth and protect her farm against pests.
Many of the beneficiaries also expressed hope that the interventions would be continuous so as to encourage more residents to participate in agriculture.
