Ondo State Governor, Dr. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, has assured the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations of his administration’s commitment to sustaining collaboration aimed at promoting food security, youth empowerment, and crucial land reforms in the state.
The Governor gave the assurance while receiving a team led by the FAO Representative in Nigeria and to ECOWAS, Dr. Hussein Gadain, on a courtesy visit to his office in Akure.
Governor Aiyedatiwa expressed delight at the progress made since the programme’s inauguration in July 2024, commending the FAO for its significant support, which includes providing tools like GIS for forest mapping and driving advocacy and farmers training initiatives.
Governor Aiyedatiwa assured the FAO of the state’s readiness to collaborate further in areas of land allocation for farmers, youth recruitment into agribusiness, and providing necessary budgetary support for the projects.
Addressing the critical challenge of land availability, the Governor emphasized the importance of setting up land allocation committees at the local government level to guarantee access for bona fide farmers and resolve persistent issues of encroachment and scarcity.
He stressed that land remains a very scarce factor of production, and guaranteed ownership would reduce land grabbing.
Furthermore, Governor Aiyedatiwa noted the aging population of farmers, declaring it imperative to intentionally revisit and strengthen the “Youth on Ridges” initiative a program where land was previously provided and cleared to facilitate youth participation in farming.
He welcomed the disclosure of new funding opportunities, noting that FAO’s intervention programmes would open new avenues for development in the agricultural sector.
Earlier, the FAO Representative, Dr. Hussein Gadain, a Sudanese national, expressed gratitude for the robust partnership with Ondo State.
He explained that his visit was to review the progress of FAO’s existing interventions and explore new collaboration in line with the state’s priorities in food security, climate resilience, and sustainable agriculture.
Dr. Gadain confirmed that Ondo State is currently benefiting from two major ongoing projects funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF7).
The first is the Food Systems, Land Use, and Restoration (FOLUR) project, implemented in Ondo and Cross River States. The second, approved in May 2025, is the Biodiversity project, which also covers Edo, Delta, and Ogun States, aimed at conserving biodiversity, restoring degraded forests, and supporting local livelihoods.
He outlined that FAO’s interventions in the state include establishing a GIS laboratory, reviving agricultural extension services, introducing farmer field and business schools, and setting up solar-powered nurseries to produce two million seedlings for agroforestry.
Gadain disclosed that over 3,800 hectares of degraded forests have been restored and that the FAO is preparing to deliver another one million seedlings.
He concluded that their interventions align with the European Union’s Deforestation Regulation, which will boost food security, create jobs, expand export revenue, and strengthen ecosystem services in Ondo State.