BY Kemi Olatunde
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Ondo State Government has reiterated its commitment towards providing enabling environment for investors to thrive in the state .
Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Sunday Akinwalire spoke while playing host to representative of a firm in his office in Akure.
While stating that there hasn’t been concrete steps in addressing climate change in the country, he commended the firm for its gesture calling on it to invest in other areas.
Akinwalire assured of government partnership, stating that in the area of security and architecture among others, the present government has emplaced structures to look into climate change issues adding that the project is expected to boost the state’s economy.
Representative of the firm, Sharine Mertens, said the agro forestry project’s aimed at reaching 30,000 farmers stating it will start with 1,500 cocoa farmers as pilots.
According to her, the organization is working in five local governments including Idanre, Akure North, Akure South and Ose Local Government on Cocoa plantation, noting that various farms have been visited while farmers have undergone trainings.
Speaking further, she said that plans are underway to give 1,000,000 cocoa seedlings to farmers adding that the firm is set to collaborate with the state Ministry of Environment so as to capture indigenous trees into its plan.
She said that farmers who according to her are to care for the trees for a long time, will be compensated.
She called on farmers to be committed to the project and solicited for government support in making the dream a reality.
Retired Permanent Secretary and Advisor to Springboard, Nigeria, Mrs Bola Akinyanmi noted that climate change has negative effects on crops grown at the use of pesticides in the environment, describing the environment as the real life.
She called on the organization to ensure that benefiting farmers are sustained till the desired result is achieved.
