To achieve food security, sustainable growth, and create jobs, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq will be flagging off the distribution of tractors, ploughs, harrows, and ridgers to farm clusters and farmlands at subsidized rates as part of its strategies to strengthen extensive scale farming, boost food security, and lessen poverty rate in the state.
The tractors and implements purchased by Governor AbdulRazaq is another milestone, as his administration did not inherit any functional tractor when it came to office in 2019.
The Kwara State Government has also created an Agriculture Help Desk located at the ministry to assist farmers, processors, and investors in finding solutions to challenges bordering on finances and technical advisory support.
The desk office is also designed to guide our indigenous farmers on the right farm inputs, chemicals, and other technical services to enhance their productivity, which will ultimately lead to an increase in food production and security.
Over 10,000 farmers have so far benefitted from the agricultural input subsidy scheme, they were given various inputs at 50% market price. A new phase of the scheme which will come up later in the year is a step the Governor said aligns with the state’s strategic plan for food security and sustainable development.
In 2020, Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq launched a 10-year Agricultural Transformation Plan, which is designed to ensure food security, generate employment opportunities, and reduce the poverty rate.
The plan is hinged on six pillars of crop production, finance, livestock, access to market, value chain, and cross-cutting programmes. The masterplan has continued to drive policies in the Agriculture sector.