The Ogun State Permanent Secretary, Ministry Of Agriculture, Mr. Samuel Adeogun has said increasing investment in cassava production in the state will reduce the annual food importation bill of African and Sub-Saharan African countries, so as to increase food production for the country at large.
Mr. Adeogun made the remark while speaking to the members of the group 1, Course 45, 2023 Senior Executive Course, National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), at Mitros Residence, Ibara, Abeokuta, Ogun State.
The NIPSS study tour of Ogun State themed: ‘Industrialization, Climate Change and Energy Security in Nigeria: Issues, Challenges & Prospects” he noted that the State government in partnership with Agricultural stakeholders had economically Sustained integrated Cassava Seed System in the state.
“Indeed, the state government is aimed at bolstering private sector-led investment in the cassava seed sector, as well as identifying and engaging stakeholders on the policy reforms required to galvanize the cassava seed sector in order to raise productivity and drive industrial growth projections” Adeogun said.
In her response, the team leader and Director of Studies (NIPSS), Prof. Oluwafunmilayo Para-Mallam, urged the state government to access more loans for agricultural stakeholders in the state in order to boost the cassava production sector both for local consumption and exportation.
She said “it is imperative for the government to apply for world loan to fund its Agricultural sector, as the stakeholders in the state were fully ready to produce more metrics tons of cassava for the country”.
She said that the mechanisation of cassava planting and harvesting, combined with high-yielding variety and complementary agronomy practice, will lead to higher competitiveness and economic breakthrough for the cassava farmers.
One of the stakeholders, Mr. Akindele Johnson said that the current climate change in the country is not favourable for the farmers, imploring the state government to provide them good irrigation to be used as alternative to the climate changes and look at the way to engage more youths on the farming sectors.
