World Food Day: Oyo govt urges farmers to embrace modern practice
…as Makinde approves promotion of over 7,000 civil servants
…To present 2023 supplementary budget to House
By Stephen Gbadamosi
The Oyo State government has called on farmers in the state to embrace new methods of farming, saying this will ensure food security in the state and the country.
The State Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr. Olasunkanmi Olaleye, gave this advice while speaking to journalists in Ibadan, the state capital, as part of activities lined up to celebrate 2023 World Food Day.
Olasunkanmi, according to a statement made available to journalist in Ibadan on Tuesday by the state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Prince Dotun Oyelade, noted that the only way to improve farm yield (crops and livestock) was for the farmers to embrace modern forms of farming, saying there were improved seeds that coulf bring quality yields more than the ancient practices.
He said the present government in the state, under Engr. Oluseyi Makinde, had invested in training and retraining of Agricultural Extension Officers and farmers in various capacities through collaborative efforts to enhance food security.
Speaking on various efforts of the government through his ministry on food security, the commissioner hinted that about 285 farmers were trained on Emergency Training and Demonstration of Climate Resilient Practices in maize, tomatoes, cassava, yam and cowpea to enhance increase yield.
He added that about 135 farmers were empowered with 1 bag each of NPK fertilisers, adding that about 95 youths and women farmers were equally trained on processing, packaging, value addition and utilisation of yam and cassava.
He said 80 of the above mentioned were also trained on all season tomatoes that would bring yield all round the year.
Mr. Olaleye said an example of this was in Awe Rural Community Development Centre, which is now Oyo State-IITA Youth Agribusiness Incubation Park Centre, Awe.
“We have equally distributed poultry feed to 2,022 flood affected poultry farmers in collaboration with Federal Government.
“250 farmers were trained in collaboration with Elyson Gold Consultancy (EGC) on mushroom production; animal feed quality control on feed mill system has been introduced through feed analysers to prevent sales of poor quality feeds to the farmers, most especially poultry farmers.
“Also, we have established Pasture Growers Association to prevent future clashes between herders and farmers. This will help in full implementation of Grazing Control Law.”
World Food Day is an international day, celebrated every year worldwide on October 16 to commemorate the date of the founding of the United Nations (UN) Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in 1945.
The theme for World Food Day 2023 is “Sustainable Food Systems For A Healthy Planet.”
Meanwhile, Governor, Makinde, has approved the promotion of all civil and public servants whose promotions were due in 2022.
At a media briefing on Tuesday after the state Executive Council meeting, the state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Prince Dotun Oyelade, said the development was consistent with government’s policy on workers’ welfare in the past four years.
The commissioner recalled that the Makinde-led government conducted the 2017 to 2021 promotion exercises.
“For 2022, the governor has given approval for the conduct of the promotion of 7, 276 civil servants,” he said.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Prof. Musbau Babatunde, said council approved the realignment of the 2023 supplementary budget, to be presented to the Oyo State House of Assembly for approval.
He said the decision was necessitated by the twin economic policy of subsidy removal and the unification of exchange rate which had led to some shifts in macro-economic fundamentals in the state, in respect to inflation, exchange and interest rates.
The commissioner said the state government took into decision certain projects that were going on, overridden by costs.
He added that there were requests by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) on the need to situate their current budget performance in the context of the shift in macroeconomic fundamentals.
Babatunde said the increment in the 2023 budget size was from N310,432,500,000.00 to N352,382,500,000.00.
The commissioner also said idle funds in some MDAs had been realigned, in line with the current economic realities.
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He said the Oyo State government was currently negotiating with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and decisions taken from the meeting would be included in the realigned supplementary budget.
He said Medium Term Expenditure Framework (2024-2026), on which the 2024 budget would be premised, had been approved by the Executive.
