By Taiwo Adeyemi

Kwara State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Hon. Oloruntoyosi Thomas has reiterated the commitment of Governor Abudulraman Abdulrasaq administration to agricultural development and food security. 

Thomas made the remark while appearing as a guest on Diamond FM, Ilorin Kwara State popular Yoruba Language News and Current Affairs Programme “E ba wa da si”.

She emphasized that the administration of Governor Abdulrasaq has initiated various projects to support farmers across the state.

She said “we started distribution of farm inputs, seedlings and fertilizers to farmers in the State which have gone a long way to improve their harvest”. 

“This administration is looking beyond what people of the State will consume, we are looking at exporting our produces to other States”.

She furthered that the 10 year plan agricultural revamping initiative is the game changer in the sector, which will bring the best result in farming in the State.

“The administration of Governor Abudulraman Abdulrasaq in Kwara State introduced the initiative to promote food security and ensure increased harvest for our farmers”. 

“This initiative is in categories, production is when we start giving farm inputs to farmers in the state, we supply seedlings, fertilizer and pesticide to farmers”

“Another stage is clustering of farmers in the State, this will make it easier for the government to identify genuine farmers and render support to them”.

“We engage the service of extension agents to assist the farmers, these agents do render professional advice to them free of charge”.

She added that “this administration is looking beyond selling all the farm proceeds, we are looking at processing them, processing stage is very lucrative. In the next three months, people of the State we start seeing the impact of our initiatives in the price of food in the market”. 

Thomas maintained that many successful farmers have emerged in the State, especially Youth and Women.

“We initiated special projects to encourage women and youths to start farming in the State”.

“I have visited farms operated by some of the beneficiaries of our programmes, a woman came from Lagos to Kwara State for one of the programmes, after the program, she started tomato farming at Oke-Iya, she is planning to expand to Ajase now”.

“Some youths that we trained have cultivated hectare of land at Agun, I was there yesterday, they are doing fine now, even some of the youths that followed me said they want to join them”.

“Some youths are now undergoing soil-less training in Abeokuta in Ogun State, we just need to see commitment from the youths, we are ready to support them”. 

While responding to question on the incessant clash between herders and farmers, Thomas said the government is doing a project to address livestock business in the state that herders won’t have to move around with their cattle.

“Our scope is not farming alone, we are also looking at livestock business in the state, we want to ensure that they stop taking their cattle around the State”.

“Also farmers must also register their presence on the farm and they can also employ the service of vigilante groups”. 

“I operate an open door policy, any farmer in the state that wants to enjoy our initiatives should come in group to the State Secretariat in Ilorin, we will take it up from there”. 

“Also one of the short term initiatives we are propagating is the ongoing backyard farming, our people should try and plant something in their backyard”.

Program full link: