By Kehinde Oluwatayo

In its drive to revolutionise tomato cultivation in Ondo State and reduce capital flight on the commodity, the state government has trained no fewer than 60 youths on the cultivation of the commodity.
Speaking with newsmen shortly after the event which was held at the auditorium of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Province 4, Akure, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Agric and Agribusiness, Pastor Akin Olotu said the training was another phase of the state’ s drive to revolutionise tomato cultivation .
Olotu said tomato is one of the sources of capital flight in the state noting that the large chunk of what is consumed is coming from outside which was why the government took a step last year since the state is in position to produce it.
According to him, the state government carried out varietal trials last year and was convinced that tomato cultivation is worth while and good for youths in particular who are talking about unemployment.
To rev up local production of the commodity and make it attractive, he said government is supplying seeds, inputs, infrastructure and has cleared about 1,000 hectares of land in 11 locations across the state adding that land clearing is still ongoing.
While saying that government is ready to train as many people as possible on different agric practices, Olotu said the leadership of the church, wrote to the government that they wanted it to train some of their youths and they picked their area of interest and government obliged them.
According to him, government is ready to train and empower through religious organizations who are willing and interested be it church or mosque.
He said that youths on ridges programme is meant to catalyse and empower interested youths and it is not limited to a particular commodity adding that some youths trained are already producing in the state.
Part of the youths on ridges according to him, is the modern pig village which the equipment will arrive from Germany before the end of July adding that the state is working with a company in Denmark on having an automated broilers processing plant.
He also stated that some of the 2,000 youths trained on beekeeping are already producing adding that their products will be used to feed sunshine honey factory disclosing that the governor has approved funds for inputs in aquaculture.
Also speaking at the event, the Assistant Pastor in charge of Region 22 of the church, Pastor Adesina Tugbobo said the church got inspiration to train some of its youths during COVID-19pandomic and set up a committee.
According to him, the committee wrote to government and government agreed and they came up with the training.