The Ogun State Commissioner for Agriculture, Hon. Bolu Owotomo, has commended Governor Dapo Abiodun for prioritising agriculture as a key pillar of the administration’s ISEYA agenda, describing the state’s intervention programmes as comprehensive and farmer-focused.
Owotomo made this known on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) 2026 Congress and New Season Party held at OGADEP Hall, Idi-Aba, Abeokuta.
He noted that the government’s agricultural initiatives are designed as an “end-to-end package,” covering farmer identification, capacity building, mechanisation, and value addition.
According to him, the state has developed a Farmers Information Management System, through which over 160,000 farmers and value chain actors including off-takers, input dealers, and mechanisation service providers have been registered.
“With this system, we know where our farmers are and who the off-takers are, enabling us to effectively intervene in their activities,” he said.
The commissioner explained that the government has implemented targeted interventions and capacity-building programmes across key value chains such as cassava, maize, aquaculture, and poultry, reaching over 47,000 farmers within a year.
He added that the state government has also embarked on the establishment of processing facilities across farm settlements and estates to reduce post-harvest losses and enhance value addition.
Owotomo listed several completed and ongoing projects to include fish processing centres in Ikangba, Eriwe, and Coker; solar dryers in Ikenne, Imeeko, Ado-Odo, and Sawonjo; cassava processing centres in Ibiade, Odan-Ijaye, and Ilaro; as well as warehouses in Sawonjo, Ado-Odo, and Coker. He also mentioned a 10,000-capacity poultry facility in Ijebu-Igbo and a similar processing centre in Ilaro.
He explained that the facilities were established following an infrastructure needs assessment conducted across farm settlements to ensure they align with farmers’ specific requirements.
“These facilities are not just built arbitrarily; they are based on what farmers told us they need. The aim is to prevent losses and add value to farm produce,” he said.
Illustrating the benefits of value addition, Owotomo noted that a fish farmer could potentially double earnings by processing produce before sale.
In the area of mechanisation, the commissioner disclosed that over 9,000 hectares of land have been cleared for farmers at a 65 per cent subsidised rate in the last two years. He added that the government has procured heavy-duty equipment to further support farming activities across the state.
Owotomo congratulated farmers for their resilience and encouraged them to prepare for the next planting season, expressing optimism for a bountiful harvest.
The AFAN Congress brought together farmers, stakeholders, and government officials to celebrate achievements in the agricultural sector and strategise for improved productivity in the coming season.
