Food Security: Abiodun targets 10,000 farmers with subsidised inputs
Distributes 10 tractors, 1,200 smartphones to farmers
Unveils 39 tractors, harvesters, agro-processing facilities
Over 160,000 farmers, value-chain operators captured in state database
ByClifford Ndujihe
Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has stepped up efforts to boost food production, reduce post-harvest losses and improve farmers’ incomes, unveiling a fresh package of subsidised inputs, mechanisation equipment and digital tools targeting 10,000 rice and cassava farmers.
The intervention, announced during the 2026 World Food Day celebration in Abeokuta, includes support for 2,000 rice farmers and 8,000 cassava farmers, the distribution of 10 tractors and 1,200 Android phones loaded with agricultural applications.
Under the programme, each beneficiary will receive two bags of fertiliser and one bag of urea. Cassava farmers will also get 25 bundles of cassava stems and 10 litres of herbicides each, while rice farmers will receive three litres of herbicides.
The state government said beneficiaries would pay 30 per cent of the cost of the inputs, with the government covering the remaining 70 per cent through its partnership with the International Fund for Agricultural Development, IFAD.
The initiative is aimed at reducing farmers’ production costs and improving their capacity to increase output amid rising agricultural expenses and concerns over food affordability.
Abiodun also disclosed that his administration had procured 39 tractors, four self-propelled harvesters and other agricultural equipment to strengthen mechanised farming across the state.
The 1,200 smartphones distributed to farmers are equipped with applications providing weather information, market prices and guidance on improved farming practices.
The digital intervention builds on the Ogun State Farmer Information Management System, launched in April 2023. According to the governor, more than 160,000 farmers and agricultural value-chain operators have been captured on the platform.
Invests in processing, market access
Special Adviser to the governor on Media, Mr Kayode Akinmade, said beyond farm inputs and machinery, the administration is investing in storage, processing and market access to reduce losses and improve returns to farmers.
Abiodun said 28 agricultural projects had been completed in the preceding two years across crop production, aquaculture and poultry. They include solar dryers, warehouses, cassava processing centres and a poultry processing plant at Ajegunle Farm Settlement in Odeda Local Government Area.
The poultry facility, according to the governor, has the capacity to process 5,000 birds daily, or about 1.3 million annually.
Under the Ogun State Economic Transformation Project, OGSTEP, agribusiness firms have purchased more than 283,000 tonnes of agricultural produce, while farmer clusters have received capacity-building support and links to off-takers.
The government has also partnered with Soilless Farm Lab to train more than 200 young people in soilless farming and provide start-up support to beneficiaries.
Abiodun said the Ogun State Agricultural Land Management Agency was established to facilitate access to agricultural land and promote investment in commercial farming.
Speaking at the event, a former Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Professor Kolawole Adebayo, said Ogun had approximately 1.2 million hectares of arable land, offering significant potential for agricultural production and agro-industrial development.
Adebayo called for sustained investment in innovation and an integrated transport network linking rail, road, water and air transport to ease the movement of agricultural produce and preserve its quality.
The Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Bolu Owotomo, stressed the importance of ensuring access to nutritious and affordable food, calling for greater investment in women and young people through improved access to land, finance, training and technology.
Owotomo disclosed that more than 12,000 farmers had benefited from training and agricultural inputs under OGSTEP.
The state government said it would continue to complement federal agricultural interventions through farmer support, investment and stronger market linkages.
However, the impact of the initiatives will depend on timely distribution of inputs, effective maintenance of equipment, transparent beneficiary selection and improved access to markets.
Higher yields, lower production costs, better farmers’ incomes and reduced post-harvest losses will ultimately determine whether the investments translate into sustained food security and more affordable food for consumers.
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