Kogi State Authorities has intensified collaboration with federal companies and worldwide companions to reposition agriculture because the mainstay of the state’s economic system, guarantee meals safety, and promote agricultural export.
This adopted a working go to to Geregu in Ajaokuta Native Authorities Space, the place authorities officers and a delegation of agriculture specialists and traders inspected farms and engaged stakeholders on alternatives for mechanized farming and market enlargement available in the market.
Kogi State Commissioner for Agriculture and Meals Safety, Timothy Ojomah, who led the workforce, stated the initiative displays Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo’s imaginative and prescient of leveraging the state’s assets in agriculture to create jobs, empower farmers, and strengthen the economic system.
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“Our governor has at all times stated we should produce what we eat and eat what we produce. With mechanisation, innovation, and the best partnerships, Kogi won’t solely feed its folks but additionally assist neighbouring states and probably have sufficient to export. Agriculture stays our greatest path to job creation, particularly for the hundreds of graduates produced yearly in our universities,” he stated.
Additionally talking, Particular Adviser to the President on Agriculture, Matthew Ajayi, defined that the partnership aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s meals safety agenda and efforts to cut back Nigeria’s dependence on meals imports.
“Nigeria spends billions of {dollars} yearly on meals imports. Our objective is to reverse this development by selling crops like rice, maize, soybeans, and money crops for export. This partnership with Kogi and Onida Agri will assist us obtain that and generate billions of {dollars} in agricultural exports,” he famous.
Director-Normal of the Kogi State Commodity Alternate, Victor Omofaiye, emphasised the position of the company in making certain farmers get truthful market costs and entry to export alternatives.
“Our mandate is to enhance meals safety, set up a commodity alternate, and promote export. By creating market accessibility, we are going to guarantee our farmers usually are not shortchanged, and we are going to rework crops like rice into exportable commodities,” he stated
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Managing Director of Onida Agri and Aquaculture Options Ltd, Israel Kidron described Kogi as a major location for contemporary farming because of its fertile land and considerable water.
“We got here to Kogi as a result of it has all of the parameters for profitable agriculture. We need to set up fashionable, year-round operations supported by know-how, higher varieties, and mechanisation. Past that, we are going to prepare farmers and switch information to make sure higher yields and high quality,” he stated.
He added that Onida Agri, with over 35 years of agricultural expertise in Africa and 15 years in Nigeria, is dedicated to supporting Kogi in reaching meals safety whereas positioning its crops for worldwide export markets.
The partnership is anticipated to increase throughout some native authorities areas of the state, offering employment alternatives, empowering farmers, and driving Kogi’s emergence as a key participant in Nigeria’s agricultural transformation worth chain.
