Kwara govt apportions 250 hectares land for farming

The Kwara State Government   has disclosed plans to cultivate 250 hectares of land for 2017 Off-Takers Demand Driven Agriculture exercise (ODDA).

The state’s Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mr.  Goke Bamidele, revealed this on Wednesday when he inspected arable farmland at Ejidonugari in Moro Local Government Area of the state.

According to Bamidele ”The major purpose of this exercise is to earmark 250 hectares of land for the 2017 Off-Takers Demand Driven Agriculture exercise across the state. The farm land was identified by the Kwara State House of Assembly members, who desire to participate in the ODDA scheme as a group”.

“We are here to verify that the land indeed exists and that is the starting point and also to make the land available to farmers. This is because we want to make life easier  for our people by alleviating poverty through farming, so as to improve their standards of living”, he added.

While lending credence to the initiative, the Special Adviser to the governor on Agriculture and Rural Water Support Services, Mr. Anu Ibiwoye, expressed that the scheme would not only empower local indigenes and create jobs but facilitate rural development.

Ibiwoye advised young farmers in Kwara state to seize the opportunity for better agricultural practice in the state.

“I encourage young farmers to use the opportunity created by the Kwara Government in the ODDA scheme, which includes provision of seedlings, fertilisers, chemicals and other farming tools to boost production” he said.