Sen Adeola’s Complementary Role In Boosting Agricultural Production in Ogun

By Olanrewaju Fatunmbi

The latest farmers’ empowerment programme facilitated by Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola (aka Yayi) brings to the fore the imperative of a new approach to three fundamental issues affecting food self-sufficiency in Nigeria. These are challenges of low productivity, lack of training in modern agricultural practices as well as limited access to finances. The combined effect of these is largely responsible for the current food inflation in the country.

To change the narrative, therefore, Adeola’s empowerment programme adopted a three-pronged approach, focusing on the provision of farm equipment, the supply of inputs, and the disbursement of cash to benefitting farmers to support them to do what they know to do best.

In a renewed approach to sustainable agricultural revolution in Ogun State, the event witnessed the distribution of tractors, plows, tricycles, water pumping machines; knap sacks sprayers, and other machinery to boost productivity. Additionally, the empowerment initiative also provided improved varieties of seeds, cassava stems, plantains suckers, cocoa and others seedlings, fertilizers, and pesticides to benefitting farmers to enhance crop yields. Above all, Adeola’s direct financial intervention saw each farmer going home with N100, 000 cash donation to facilitate farming activities for food assurance. No fewer than 5,000 farmers from across 20 local government areas of Ogun State benefited from the empowerment programme.

Many stakeholders have applauded the empowerment programme as an initiative with a difference. Ogun State Coordinator, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Oluwatoyin Àjàyí, described the intervention as “a timely and impactful support system for smallholder farmers across the State.

Senator Adeola, in his keynote address at Asade Agunloye Pavilion, Ilaro-Yewa, Ogun state, on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, said the initiative aligned with the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, focusing on agricultural development and food sufficiency. Stressing the need for collaborative effort between the state and federal government, he commended Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State for his complementary role in promoting agriculture. He commended the state government for the provision of high-quality seedlings for farmers, the supply of fertilizers to support farming activities as well as allocation of free farmland to farmers.

He said: “Under President Tinubu’s Policy on “Renewed Hope Agenda” on Agriculture and Food Security, major milestones have been achieved foundationally in less than two years. It started with the President’s declaration of a state of emergency on food security with the launch of the National Agriculture Development Fund of N100 billion. Another initiative, the “Earn From the Soil” project, a food security initiative targeted at transforming subsistence farming to robust export driven economic opportunities, has so far benefited from the distribution of 60,342 metric tons of improved seeds, 887.255 metric tons of seedlings and 62,328 metric tons of inorganic fertilizers with the cultivation of 118,657 hectares of wheat in 15 States.

As shown from the recent experience, unfavourable weather variation and its negative impact on farming are the major causes of the current food inflation in the country. Nigeria cannot afford another episode of the protests that rocked many states in the wake of the immediate past food crisis. As a proactive measure to forestall a recurrence of the experience, Adeola disclosed that over N350 billion had been earmarked for reticulation and desilting of various dams across the nation by all River Basins Development Authorities to provide water for massive irrigation of farm lands. This is to ensure all year-round farming with the target of three farming seasons annually.

His words: “The highlight of the Renewed Hope Agenda on agriculture of the President is the drive to encourage all year-round farming with target for three farming seasons annually. This target has led President Tinubu to allocate over N350 billion for reticulation and desilting of various dams across the nation by all River Basins Development Authorities to provide water for massive irrigation of farmlands. I am sure that Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority in Ogun State is part of the initiative and we are all poised to benefit from this laudable initiative pursuant of the three-season annual farming calendar.

According to Senator Yayi, the Federal Government has also made an arrangement to procure 2000 tractors for distribution to farmers across Nigeria. The aim is to revolutionize agriculture not only for food self-sufficiency but also for global competitiveness. “Equally, massive mechanization of farming is part of the Renewed Hope Agenda on Agriculture. The Federal Government is in the process of acquiring 2000 tractors it ordered from the United States of America (USA) for distribution to farmers across Nigeria, he explained.

Reminding the stakeholders of the administration’s effort to reform the old pastural practices resulting in incessant herder/farmer clashes through the creation of Ministry of Livestock, Adeola said that the sum of N12 billion had been budgeted for the ministry to establish ranches in 7 states, including Lagos and Ogun. “The Tinubu Administration is also working towards a holistic development of the livestock sector of agriculture and has taken the initiative of establishing a full-fledged Ministry of Livestock in Nigeria to address the challenges of livestock production and boost the production of various species of livestock nationwide. A total sum of N12 billion is budgeted for the ministry and ranches will be established in seven (7) states, including Lagos and Ogun State, Adeola further hinted.

While expressing confidence on the success of the reform policies of the Tinubu administration, he noted that the country was already on the path of sustainable economic growth. “Permit me at this point to reiterate that our party, APC and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, Renewed Hope Agenda is well on course with many positive results in less than two years of the administration. The reforms associated with the oil subsidy regime and the foreign exchange market are yielding expected results and the economy is on a course to sustained growth. Inflation, particularly food inflation, came down in February according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics. From inflation rate of 31.70% in February 2024 to 23.18% in February 2025 is over 8% drop in inflation rate. Different market surveys also indicate significant drop in prices of some basic food items in most markets,” Senator Adeola enthused.

He also commended Governor Dapo Abiodun for his complementary effort to boost agricultural production in Ogun State. He said the state’s collaboration with the Federal Government had been facilitated through robust implementation of various assistance to farmers to produce massively in terms of improved seeds and seedlings, distribution of fertilizers, allocation of free farmland to youthful farmers, among other moves. “This year alone, the governor has released N498 million to provide inputs assets and other infrastructure. The target is to make Ogun State not only a food basket in the South West but a critical link in export of agro-allied products to the outside world through the laudable construction of Agro Cargo Airport in the state.

“Furthermore, credit must be given to the governor for establishing the Ogun State Farmers Information System, a first in Nigeria, which allow the government to have the details of all its farmers as well as the establishment of a major Farmers’ Market at Asero, Abeokuta.

“I want to assure you that the APC administration of President Tinubu at the federal level and our governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun CON, at the state level promises a better future in the months and years ahead with their various initiatives for agriculture and the economy,” Adeola enthusiastically declared.

He promised not to relent in his effort to facilitate development project to his constituent and the state as a whole. Hear from the horse’s mouth: “On my part as your representative and pursuant of the Renewed Hope Agenda and to complement the work of our performing governor, Prince Abiodun, I will continue to facilitate projects in the area of infrastructural development, educational advancement, accessible and affordable healthcare as well as security of lives and properties. During my upcoming Town Hall Meeting, Thank you Tour and Mega Empowerment Programmes of the senatorial district of Ogun West, I will enumerate on various milestones delivered on my electoral promises to my dear constituents.

“Today’s empowerment programme which is targeted at addressing some of the challenges of our farmers is in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda on Food Security of President Tinubu’s administration. These challenges include low productivity, lack of training in modern agricultural practices, costly farm implements and seedling as well as limited access to finances.

“In this facilitated programme with Federal College of Agriculture, Isiagu, Ebonyi State and Federal Cooperative College, Eleyele. Ibadan, Oyo state, a total number of 5910 practicing farmers organized into 235 clusters and present here today have received training in various aspects of modern farming methods relative to their specialization. Of this number 3082 are benefiting directly from empowerment while other will benefit from shared equipment like tractors.

“Among the empowerment items for the trained farmers organized in clusters are 20 Tractors, 184 tricycles, 536 water pumps, 1,800 Sprayers, 10,560 bags of NPK fertilizer, 2,880 Home Kit Fertilizer Seeds and 5,577 Growth Enhancers. Others are 66 Nos of 13 HP Power Tillers, 2,000 gallons of insecticide, 403 Porter organic Liquid Fertilizers as well as other inputs like cassava stems, various improved seedlings, 30,000 pineapple suckers among other seeds and seedlings.

“This programme has been timed to coincide with the beginning of the farming seasons and the expectation going forward is to enable and empower our farmers to operate at least three farming seasons in a year as part of the Renewed Hope Agenda for Food Security.”

He, therefore, implored the befitting farmers to seize the opportunity of the empowerment initiative to shore up their productivity with the ultimate focus of achieving food self-sufficiency. “Let me state that the farmers have been painstakingly identified and selected. The expectation is not for them to misuse or sell the various inputs given to them but to assist them in substantially increasing their production and incomes. In addition, each of the farmers are going home with a cash grant of N100,000 as a form of financial empowerment to enable them focus on their farming and not trade away the inputs.

“The tractors and other motorized implements are to be used by farmers within clusters as well as other in specific locations and for this purpose, a Central Management Team of top farmers, cluster leaders and others, will be constituted to manage the operation as well as maintain the equipment for sustainability.

“In the years ahead, we are hopeful that many more farmers will benefit from this empowerment programme targeted at our farmers. We must encourage our farmers at all times as they are critical to reduction of poverty and hunger and a factor in our economic growth, diversification of the economy and national development”, Adeola admonished.

*Fatunmbi writes from Okeagbede, Imeko-Afon LGA of Ogun State