Governor Abiodun advocates more agricultural labs, says agriculture remains only hope for food self-sufficiency

 

 

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, on Tuesday said the establishment of agricultural laboratories (settlements) across the country is the only panacea to ensure food self-sufficiency of the people.

The governor said given the current situation in the country, it is time for Nigerians to embrace agriculture and get into the habit of eating what they grow and growing what they eat.

Prince Abiodun spoke during a visit to the Soilless Farm Lab, located in Awowo, Ewekoro Local Government Area of ​​the state.

Comparing the Farm Lab to a similar initiative he saw a few years ago in Israel, where people work, live, worship and play in an agricultural settlement, Prince Abiodun said the Soilless initiative is an inspiring model that should be replicated across the country.

He stressed that he would encourage the establishment of similar settlements in other parts of the state, adding that it was an initiative that the federal government would support.

“We will support the general manager of this project and the trainees, and we will replicate it in Ogun State, and I believe other states could also participate in it, as it would solve food problems and unemployment,” the governor noted.

Governor Abiodun also announced that the state government has waived the payment of any kind of fee for the issuance of all title documents, to encourage the promoters of the Farm Lab.

According to him, the management of the farm will receive all documents related to the title within 24 hours.

“As a responsible state government, we will work with you. I had asked you how far you had come in regularizing your documents for this post, and you said you were not entirely sure if you still had difficulties.

“Today, by virtue of the authority vested in me as the Executive Governor of Ogun State, within the next 24 hours, you will receive all documents relating to your title to this place.

“And guess what? I’m waiving all taxes, every single tax. The state government is not going to charge you a fee for the title deed for this place; that’s the least we can do,” he said.

Prince Abiodun also announced a donation of 20 million naira to agricultural trainees by the state government.

“I have asked Samson Ogbole (the team leader) to come and meet me so that we can both work out the kind of support he needs now and will need in the immediate future and how to replicate what is happening here.

“But I also want to support all of you. I’m so encouraged by your level of enthusiasm, your level of commitment, how intentional and deliberate you are, how responsible you are. You know what you are; you’re all champions.

“On behalf of the state government, I am donating N20 million to all of you,” he said.

Abiodun also expressed his joy at the wonderful community of people from all parts of the country and even abroad, commending the farm team leader (Samson Ogbole) for welcoming over 1,000 trainee farmers aged between 18 and 35 every three months.

Governor Abiodun also commended Ogbole for developing leaders and capacity and generating revenue and foreign exchange, describing the Soilless Farm Lab as a perfect example of public-private partnership that should be replicated across the country.

He further commended the Alawowo of Awowo, Oba Abdul-Fatai Olasunkanmi Tijani, for embracing the development of his town and the idea of ​​the Soilless Farm Lab when it was first presented to him by the head of the farm team.

In his speech, Oba Olasunkanmi Tijani commended the Governor Abiodun administration for taking care of the welfare of monarchs in the state, crediting the governor for allowing the establishment of the farm even after the immediate administration refused to give the go-ahead for the project to commence.

Ogbole had earlier noted that the farm started the work-learn programme in September 2020, adding that between then and November 2022, it has managed to train over 10,000 people.

He added that in the last year and six months the farm has successfully trained 6,000 youths from 28 states across the country, saying the current batch consists of foreigners from Cameroon and Togo.

“What we were doing is wherever we went to set up a farm, as we set up a farm in that state, we were doing free training. We used free training to get free workers. But as they’re working for free, they’re also learning for free. So, we labeled it ‘Work and Learn,'” he said.

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