From Fisayo Akinduro, Osogbo

As part of efforts to subdue the effect of COVID-19 pandemic on agricultural productivity, Osun State government has disclosed its intention to collaborate with the Bank of Agriculture (BOA) to disburse N400,000,000 to about 2,000 farmers/beneficiaries.
This intervention which will focus majorly on youths and women across the State would generate employment opportunities.
The State Governor, Gboyega Oyetola disclosed this while reeling out his achievements in employment generation for youth and women across the various agricultural value chains.
To further enhance the sector, Oyetola stated that N3.4bn has been dedicated to the Agricultural Sector while presenting the 2021 budget to the State Assembly.
Oyetola stressed that under Tree Crop Project, 200,000 hybrid cocoa seedlings were raised and sold to farmers at a highly subsidised rate of thirty naira per seedlings, which he described as the cheapest in the South-West region.
Stating that there is an increase in the demand for seedlings in the State, he maintained that the activities of Osun Rural Access Mobility Programme (O’RAMP), expanded road networks, and other improved amenities have drastically reduced rural-urban migration, thereby “increasing the attraction of more people into farming in the rural areas for both the educated elite and youths.”
Speaking on his administration’s effort to encourage farmers’ productive expansion in the State, he said, “Our Government distributed various farm inputs (improved maize seeds, plantain suckers, sprayers and high-quality cassava stems) free as palliatives to the farmers during the annual Flag Off of Planting Season.
Oyetola also noted that “the Central Bank of Nigeria through Anchor Borrowers Programme empowered 1,899 cassava farmers with inputs worth N397, 840,500; 2,096 maize farmers to the tune of N315, 448,000; 611 Cotton farmers to the tune of N114, 193, 048.52 and 193 Cocoa farmers. The maintenance per hectare is N197, 444.
Oyetola revealed that Osun State is one of the 15 States selected to participate in the Livestock Production and Resilience Support Project (LPRSS) which is a World Bank and Federal Government Sponsored Project.