By Kehinde Oluwatayo
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A suggestion has gone to Ondo State Government to do direct investment in agriculture for it to flourish in the state Chairman of Ondo State Agricultural Commodities Association OSACA, Mr Gbenga Obaweya gave the suggestion in an interview with The Hope in his office last week.

      Obaweya said without direct investment in agriculture by government, it will be difficult to move forward in a large scale.

     According to him, people want to do but they do not have the capacity and need to stand on the shoulder of somebody who has the muscle.

   “I have found out that in most states where agriculture is flourishing, their government has to do direct investment in form of grants not just loan.

 “Paying the counterpart on behalf of their people so that their people can get access to funding”, he suggested.

     He equally advised government to work hard at creating market adding that it can negotiate on behalf of the people.

    “There is international trade between Nigeria and other countries, so also our state can approach other state governments and even international body so that they can off take what our people are producing.

     “If our governor comes now and say that he has received an order that he should supply 20,000 goats every month to so, so and so government, people will do it. The same thing goes with fish, the same thing with maize, anything”, he stressed.

     He said further that whatever the government can secure corporate market for will stimulate a lot of production and thereby create jobs for people.

   Obaweya also called on government to implement rural access road programme before rainy season sets in so that people can have access to their farms.

    “Even if RAAMP is not coming on board yet, let them take grader and grade the roads. Let’s get budozer and open up major axis, major farm road so that people can enjoy it for at least six months”, he advised.

    Obaweya who appreciated the governor on behalf of the farmers for appointing one of them, a practising farmer as SSA to the governor on agriculture and agribussiness in person of Mr Akin Olotu commended the state government for what it is doing in the sector.