By Victor Akinkuolie, Ado-Ekiti

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Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, has reiterated his administration’s commitment to food security for residents through various collaborations with agribusiness investors and young farmers.

He stated that the target for 2025 is to significantly increase production in the sector to feed the people.

Governor Oyebanji made this known at the weekend while inspecting the “Bring Youth Back into Agriculture” project farms in Oke Ako Ekiti, Iyemero Ekiti, and Gede, located in the North Senatorial Districts of the state.

The Governor, who was accompanied by top government officials, disclosed that the state’s 2025 budget would focus more on agriculture, with the aim of ensuring food sufficiency and positioning Ekiti as the food basket of the nation.

While noting that his government’s deliberate investment in agriculture was already yielding positive results, the Governor said that over the past two years, his administration had prioritised investment in agriculture, enhanced farmers’ capacities, and created markets for farm produce as part of efforts to boost food production and tackle food insecurity.

Governor Oyebanji also expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for providing the necessary support for the state to thrive in agriculture and other sectors.

He promised that his administration would continue to create economic opportunities for the youth and position them to become employers of labour.

The Governor added that the state had improved its agricultural policies and guaranteed the necessary infrastructure and support to drive agricultural development. He emphasised that his administration was exploring ways to scale up food production and make the state self-reliant.

Speaking further, Governor Oyebanji said that, in addition to focusing on agriculture and food security, the 2025 budget would prioritise citizens’ welfare. He noted that his government had made significant progress in infrastructure development over the last two years, and would de-risk the agricultural value chain by enhancing security, providing electricity, and rehabilitating farm roads.

“We partnered with our people and YSJ, a private sector agricultural company, to develop a strategy to bring our youth back into agriculture. The government cleared land for them free of charge and subsidised inputs by 50 percent. Today, I am touring the farms to assess the results of our efforts, and I am pleased with the progress we have made.”