By Morenike Oluwatoyin
State Project Coordinator FADAMA, Mrs. Olayemi Yetunde addressing participants at Ijesa Isu.
The Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security in Ekiti State, Honourable Ebenezer Boluwade has applauded the State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji for his leadership style particularly, his special interest in the State FADAMA CARES Project.
He said the governor has been providing the needed logistics to ensure that the CARES Projects accomplish its goals and manifest the efforts of the State government at mitigating the effects of Covid- 19 on farmers in Ekiti State.
While commenting on the activities of FADAMA CARES and the role played by the State Governor in a chat with journalists recently, Hon. Boluwade remarked that a large sum of money was set aside by Government for the State FADAMA CARES AREA 2 to support farmers in rebuilding their capacities and enhance their effectiveness in food security in the State and Nigeria at large.
Commissioning of bore hole and toilet built by .FADAMA CARES at ShaSha market.
The Commissioner urged all the farmers that are beneficiaries of the project to make good use of the farm inputs and assets given to them to the benefit of all in the State.
Similarly, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Engr. Gbenga Odesanmi also lauded the State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji for his humanitarian instincts and gesture to restore livelihood of affected farmers during the surge of Covid- 19 pandemic that paralyzed agricultural activities in the wake of 2020 and 2021. He noted that the Ministry will take all necessary steps at ensuring effective utilisation of the farm inputs by the beneficiaries in the State.
Recounting the activities of Ekiti State FADAMA CARES in the past months, the State Project Coordinator, Mrs Olayemi Yetunde Okunlola said FADAMA CARES has contributed immensely to the recovery of local economic activities across all the Local Governments and LCDAs in Ekiti State.
Distribution of Agricultural Inputs and assets in Ijesa Isu.
While appreciating the State Government for its support for the project through provision of resources for implementation of its activities in the State, Okunola noted that the project, FADAMA CARES under DL1 2:1, distribution of agricultural Inputs and Services has supported three thousand, eight hundred and eighty two (3,882) farmers in various agricultural enterprises like, maize, cassava, poultry, rice, tomatoes, pepper and okro to date.
Stressing further, the State Coordinator said the project, FADAMA CARES under DL 12:2 Labour, has improved farm agricultural infrastructures through rehabilitation of fifty six kilometres (56km) of farm roads across the State to solve the problems of transportation of farm produce from the farm to its final destination.
She further explained that under the DL12: 3 agricultural assets for production and mitigation of food loss and waste, the project supported two thousand, one hundred and sixty two (2,162) cassava processors, oil palm processors, local beans processors, and fish processors.
Mrs Okunlola pointed out that the FADAMA CARES in Ekiti through DL12: 4, has upgraded eight wet markets across the State with solar powered boreholes, stanchions, fetching points, hand washing points and toilets.
She commended the Governor Oyebanji led-administration for his sensitivity towards the needs of the people and the great feat attained by FADAMA CARES project in Ekiti State.
Okunola, noted that the programme has restored Livelihoods of the poor and vulnerable along the agricultural value chain. She however appealed to beneficiaries to utilize the support received from this government to better the lives of many others in the State.