By Babatunde Ayedoju
No fewer than 64,000 residents of Ondo State have benefitted from interventions under the Ondo State Community Action for Resilience and Economic Stimulus, as the programme’s impact assessment report highlighted wide-ranging agricultural and rural development gains across the state.
The report was officially presented during the week in Akure, with the Commissioner for Agriculture and Forestry, Mr Leye Akinola, reaffirming the commitment of the state government, under Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, to sustaining and scaling up programmes that deliver measurable value to the people.
Akinola said the presentation highlighted the government’s resolve to uphold accountability, transparency and evidence-based implementation of public programmes.
He explained that the NG-CARES programme was introduced at a time of heightened socio-economic pressure on households, farmers, small-scale entrepreneurs and vulnerable groups, stressing that Ondo State effectively deployed the initiative to restore hope, strengthen community resilience and stimulate grassroots economic activities.
According to the commissioner, more than 30,000 beneficiaries received direct support under Result Area 2 of the programme, with over N3.0bn disbursed to smallholder farmers, agro-processors, women and youth groups, vulnerable households and micro-entrepreneurs.
He noted that beyond financial support, the programme recorded strong social and economic outcomes, including poverty reduction, improved social inclusion and stronger community cohesion.
“It has empowered women and youths, restored dignity to vulnerable households and reinforced community participation in development initiatives,” Akinola said, adding that NG-CARES also boosted agricultural output, created jobs, improved incomes and strengthened agricultural value chains.
He further disclosed that the state government had undertaken several agricultural projects aimed at improving livestock farming through partnerships with the private sector.
In his welcome address, the Administrative Secretary and State Fadama Project Coordinator, Mr Olusiji Olatunji, described the impact assessment as a strategic exercise designed to objectively measure outcomes, document lessons learnt and provide reliable data for future planning.
Olatunji thanked Governor Aiyedatiwa and the leadership of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry for creating an enabling environment for Ondo CARES to function effectively.
He added that interventions in production assets and agricultural equipment, covering cassava processing, piggery, fish production, tomato production, maize production, egg production and vegetable farming, benefitted more than 5,400 farmers, thereby improving productivity, income generation and value addition.
The administrative secretary also said all 18 local government areas benefitted from rural road rehabilitation and landing jetty construction, with 44 communities receiving direct intervention.
Speaking further, the Administrative Secretary of the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning and Coordinator of the Ondo CARES Support Unit, Mr John Daisi, said the programme, with the backing of Governor Aiyedatiwa, had positively impacted more than 64,000 beneficiaries statewide.
He said the interventions had improved beneficiaries’ quality of life, citing the road constructed in Okeodo, Owo Local Government area, which he said opened the community to increased commercial activities and human capital development.