We want to be largest producer of cotton in Africa – Sokefun

Tell us about the agricultural policy of Governor Ibikunle Amosun’s administration within the last two years? Since the inception of this administration on 29th May, 2011, the government has remained focused to the benefit of all categories of farmers in the state and the general populace that are the final consumers of our primary production […]

Tell us about the agricultural policy of Governor Ibikunle Amosun’s administration within the last two years?

Since the inception of this administration on 29th May, 2011, the government has remained focused to the benefit of all categories of farmers in the state and the general populace that are the final consumers of our primary production activities. An adage says, “To whom much is given, much is desired”. You will recall that Increased Agricultural Production and Industrialization is one of the five cardinal programmes of the present administration in the state.  It is our resolve to deliver on our promises for the betterment of the good people of the state, as we march on in rebuilding the state.
The programme as conceptualized is expected to transform the state’s agricultural sector to a more vibrant commercial entity that will position the state as the food basket of the nation, as a dependable source of raw materials for agro-based industries, generate employment opportunities, and attain desirable level of export for improved overall foreign exchange earnings of the country.
How successful has the implementation of these policies been?
In pursuance of the policy of the ministry, which aims to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger through self-sufficiency in food production, encourage private sector participation in agriculture and generate employment, the ministry has recorded landmark achievements from the various projects and activities of its departments and parastatals in the last two years. Among the implementation strategies is that of introducing technical agricultural services and providing quality agricultural inputs at subsidized costs to assist our farmers to achieve optimum production rather than engage in direct agricultural production that will be in competition with private farmers.
However, the ministry cannot be regarded as being parasitic in nature. Consequently, during the first year of the present administration, in 2011, the ministry was able to achieve 41 percent of its revenue target. In 2012, the ministry achieved 35 per cent revenue target.
Notwithstanding, we are not resting on our oars. In our determination to scale up our contribution to the overall revenue profile of the state, the ministry is currently reviewing the contractual agreement and modus operandi of its revenue contractors collecting statutory fees on its behalf, reviewing the enabling laws and government orders guiding its quality control and revenue performance to conform to international best practices.
What are the major agricultural projects executed in the state?    
The administration has rehabilitated the Ogun State Central Livestock Feeds Depot which had been moribund for over 15 years.  The multiplier effect of the advantages of this project cannot be overemphasized particularly on the achievement recorded on our pullet programme. Besides, the rehabilitated feed mill is a pivot for the training of farmers and livestock personnel in the area of feeds components and production.
Also, the ministry embarked on poultry multiplication project, situated at Emuren in Ogun East Senatorial District, consisting of poultry breeding and hatchery phases capable of producing 1.5 million day old chicks in a year.
It is important to note that the governor, has approved fund for the completion of the rehabilitation of the project which is presently on-going. It is the desire of my ministry to complete the project and deliver it before the end of the second quarter of the current fiscal year.
We also have the turkey demonstration project. This project is located at Kotopo Abeokuta to promote turkey production in Ogun State through teaching, training and demonstration to farmers and to provide matured turkeys for sales at Christmas period.  To date, 1,000 turkeys have been reared and sold to the public. The essence of this project is not to go into direct agricultural production but to encourage poultry farmers to venture into turkey production as a viable business. Hence, the ministry is targeting positive multiplier effect that will translate into thousands of turkey production from the training, teaching and demonstration to farmers.
What about other animal farm project?
We have the beef multiplication project at Odeda under the Department of Livestock Services. With this project, we have successfully upgraded indigenous breed of cattle by crossing the White Fulani and Ndama.  The result has been very promising and the government is planning to expand on what we have now to enable us assist farmers to increase the population of their herds.
Likewise, the fisheries sub-sector is not left out of the turn-around determination of the present administration.  Hence, the  government through this ministry has been able to provide 13 outboard engines, 226 bundles of fishing nets, 1,111 rolls of twine as well as 4,444 floats as fishing inputs to fishermen co-operative societies at 50 percent subsidy. There is no doubt that the sales of these fishing inputs to fishermen at subsidized rate have greatly reduced drudgery in fishing activities and improve the livelihood of fishermen in riverine areas of the state.  
In addition, the ministry has completed the rehabilitation of three government fish farmsOdeda (Ogun Central Senatorial District); Ilaro (Ogun West Senatorial District) and Ikenne (Ogun East Senatorial District) which have been in different states of disrepair and dilapidation over the years.  The ponds and reservoirs have been stocked with fish seeds of heterotis, clarias, tilapia and common carp.  The three farms will be producing an average of 29 tons of table-size fish in a year.
Moreover, the construction of three new hatcheries has been completed. The hatcheries have the capacity of producing an average of 500,000 fish seeds in a year for sale to fish farmers at subsidized rate. Also in a bid to promote value addition in fish production, the present administration procured and installed a modern smoking kiln for fish processing in each of the government-owned fish farms.
The ministry further carried out training programmes in the three senatorial districts for fish farmers, teaching over 500 fish farmers new technologies in fish farming. Besides, the ministry has continued to monitor quality of frozen fish in cold stores in the state in order to ensure that only wholesome fish products are sold to members of the public.
What about crops?
If I may take you down memory lane, prior to the oil boom of the late 1960s and early 1970s in Nigeria, tree crops such as cocoa, palm tree, and cashew were top earners of foreign exchange.  In order to bring back the lost glory, the present government has embarked on massive rejuvenation of the activities of the Department of Tree Crops and Rural Development Services of the ministry to provide high quality seedlings and extension services to the farmers on cocoa and other tree crops production.
To this end, the department produced one million cocoa seedlings for cocoa farmers in the state free of charge. In the area of fruit crops and horticulture, farmers were provided with viable oil palm seedlings at subsidized rate. Besides, the Ministry of Agriculture in conjunction with Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN) is to establish two hectares of cocoa seed garden at Sawonjo. In addition, the department rendered extension services to farmers on latest techniques on all tree crops production during which over 500 farmers benefitted across the state.
Aside the rehabilitation and maintenance of the existing farm settlements, the state government is not resting on its oars.  The present administration has completed construction of a model farm estate at Owowo in Ewekoro Local Government.  The farm estate is situated on about 125 hectares of land.  The estate is designed to provide modern accommodation, poultry farm, fish pond as well as arable land for crop cultivation to young university graduates in agricultural courses who are now being empowered not only to be self- employed but to also become employers of labour.
Another area we are actually making progress is in the produce department. In the last two years, the department has graded 15,184.5 tons of cocoa; 20,488.5 tons of palm kernel; 690 tons of cashew nuts and; 7,416.18 tons of rubber lumps. In line with the statutory responsibility of the state government to ensure compliance and maintain standard in the produce sector, the ministry has continued to monitor and ensure compliance with good grading ethics. The essence of this practice is not only to generate revenue for the state coffers but to also retain the market share of the produce from the state to the national and international market with produce of high quality in the right quantity.  
In addition, in line with the state government policy on Private Public Partnership arrangement, the Ogun State government in collaboration with NACOTAN South-West Limited reactivated the double roller ginnery at Ibara-Orile with the installation of a baling machine, 300KVA Generator, 300KVA transformer and a bore hole.  It may interest you to know that Ogun State remains the leading producer of seed cotton in southwest Nigeria and we intend not only to remain so, but to be the largest producer in Africa.
Our Cassava Revolution Programme (CPRP) is a pseudo-parastatal of government established to promote food security, generate employment, alleviate poverty, and boost youth and women empowerment through cassava cultivation. Since the inception of the present administration, I can tell you that the agency has been able to mobilize relevant stakeholders for the adoption of improved, high yielding, early maturing and disease resistant cassava varieties. It facilitated the supply of 100 metric tons of cassava tubers to agro-processing companies. The ministry also upgraded the Training and Processing Centre situated at Asero for training unemployed youths, women groups and public servants particularly those preparing for retirement, in various cassava value chains. Besides, over 25,000 bundles of improved varieties of cassava cuttings were distributed to farmers in Ogun State under the Growth Enhancement Scheme.