ANCHOR BORROWERS: OGUN EXTENDS LAND CLEARING TO ADO-ODO OTA

Land clearing towards planting of cassava, under the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme (ABP) has extended to Idobarun, Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State.

Leading officials of the Ministry of Agriculture to inspect ongoing land clearing of 23 hectares for 23 farmers, the Project Manager, Ogun State Agricultural Development Project (OGADEP), Mrs. Taiwo Ayansanwo said the essence of Anchor Borrowers’ Programme was to ensure food security, employment generation and increased income for farmers.

Mrs. Ayansanwo added that the Prince Dapo Abiodun-led administration in the State had keyed into the Federal Government’s initiative of creating a linkage between farmers and the off-takers, thereby improving farm yields and profits.

She noted that the land was being prepared towards cassava planting, assuring that other commodities such as maize, rice, cotton, fishery would later be included.

Also speaking, representative of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Adekunle Badejo said, ABP was a joint project between the Federal Government, Commodity Associations and State governments, pointing out that the programme, being carried out in phases cuts across the country and monitored to ensure that planting were effectively done according to specification, with the aim of sustaining food security and diversification of the nation’s economy.

In his contribution, the Chairman, All Farmers Association of Nigeria, Ado-Odo, Ota, Pa Kazeem Lawal and a beneficiary, Babatunde Ojikunrin, gave kudos to the State government for its people-oriented programmes, applauding the extension agents for their efforts at ensuring that grassroots farmers also benefited.