Our govt is committed to making Agriculture the mainstay of the economy — Oyetola
…says race to delivering food sufficiency on course in Osun
…as gov’s wife empowers 500 women farmers
Abimbola Abatta, Osogbo
Osun State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, has said his administration is committed to making Agriculture the bedrock and mainstay of the State’s socioeconomic development.
He said the race to delivering food sufficiency and making Osun the food basket of the region is very much on course.
Governor Oyetola made the statements on Tuesday while addressing the people, at the presentation of various agricultural commodities to Women in Rural Communities by the Ilerioluwa Development Initiative, a Non-Governmental Organisation.
This is even as the wife of the Governor, Alhaja Kafayat Oyetola, empowered 500 women farmers with various agricultural commodities.
The NGO, which is owned and funded by the Wife of the Governor, who doubles as the President of the organisation, was founded to provide welfare, economic and empowerment services to the people and to complement government’s social investment programme aimed at banishing poverty, hunger and misery in the State.
Governor Oyetola noted that the Administration had developed a modality to change the narrative, bring desired change, and encourage people’s participation in agriculture.
He commended his wife for complementing government’s efforts at repositioning agriculture in particular and making life more meaningful and worthwhile for the people in general.
“Ilerioluwa Development Initiative has become a critical part of the IleriOluwa Family, providing welfare, economic and empowerment services to the people and complementing our social investment programme aimed at banishing poverty, hunger and misery in the State.
“I owe loads of appreciation to the Initiative for its sustained interest in and support for our Administration. Indeed, the Initiative has a unique place in the Development Agenda of our Administration whose goal is to provide adequate, quality and equitable service to our people across the State.
“I must not forget to mention that this initiative is a welcome addition to the efforts of the First Lady to empower women and girls and make them productive members of the society.”
The Governor urged the beneficiaries of the initiative to make good use of the crops so as not only to ensure that the aim of the initiative is realised, but also to create an opportunity for other women to benefit from the programme.
In her remarks, the Wife of the Governor, Mrs. Kafayat Oyetola, said the initiative was designed to serve as a catalyst to revive the lost glory of the agriculture sector.
She said the organisation has been executing masses-oriented programmes designed to lift people, particularly the women from the scourge of abject poverty.
She urged the beneficiaries to take optimum advantage of the initiative for their individual and collective benefits.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Mr. Adedayo Adewole, commended the leadership of Ilerioluwa Development Initiative for their prompt intervention to turn around the fortune of agriculture and make life prosperous for farmers.
Adewole disclosed that over 1,000 old chicks, 1,000 cashew seedlings, 1,000 cocoa seedlings and over 200 bundles of cassava had been set aside to be distributed to women farmers.
