The Ondo State Agricultural Commodities Association (OSACA) on Tuesday inaugurated new executive members.
The event held at the Babafunke Ajasin hall of the Ministry of Women Affairs in Akure, the state capital had in attendance top government functionaries and dignitaries from across the state.
The new OSACA excos will pilot the affairs of the association till 2027.
OSACA is an integrated forum for all agricultural practitioners in the state, raging from rubber producers, national Tomatoes farmers, pig farmers, cassava farmers, rice farmers, maize farmers to coconut farmers and many others.
The Ondo state deputy governor, Dr Olayide Adelami, who led government functionaries to the event, said the reforms embarked upon by the state government in the agricultural sector in the last few months have started producing positive results.
Adelami, while delivering remarks at the event, also commended the governor of the state, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, for his tireless effort at ensuring that food is produced locally and in abundance.
“It is worthy of commendation that Governor Aiyedatiwa has initiated and delivered several novel agricultural programmes, projects and policies, in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“Recently, the state government distributed 1,200 metric tonnes of grains as palliatives to farmers in the state to address the rising cost of food prices and I am sure your organization (OSACA) did benefit from this gesture. This development immediately crashed the price of a crate of eggs,” Adelami said.
While restating the commitment of the state government to food sufficiency, the deputy governor charged the new leadership of OSACA to continue to work with relevant stakeholders and support the agenda of the state government on food security and agricultural transformation.
The new OSACA Chairman, Mr Abiodun Adejo, thanked the state government for establishing the association in 2015 “as a united front for farmers to access needed government and foreign assistance.”
He further said, “we are aware of the interest of this present government in sincerely developing agriculture and seeing to the plight of indigenous farmers in the state. We salute Governor Aiyedatiwa for setting up the Agric/Food Security Committee in the state and we are ready to work with them.”
On her part, the Vice Chairman (Female) of the association, Mrs Taiye Afilaka, said the new leadership will reposition the organization to ensure women farmers, especially those at the grassroots, have access to soft loans, machineries, improved and subsidized seedlings that will lead to increased food production.
In her goodwill message, a former Chairman, Ondo State Wealth Creation Agency (WECA), Mrs Bolanle Olafunmiloye, expressed satisfaction over the synergy between government and various farmer’s organizations.
Southwest chairman of Poultry Farmers Association of Nigeria, Mr Gideon Oluleye, commended the government for paying attention to agriculture, saying the association has benefitted immensely from the state government.
Other dignitaries at the event include, Deaconess Lola Fagbemi, Commissioner for Women Affairs; Hon Wale Akinlosotu, Commissioner for Information; Hon Gbenga, Chairman OSACA; Mr Bolarinwa Adetula, Chairman Board of Trustees; Dr Segun Awolumate, Chairman Cocoa Council; Mr Rotimi Wemimo, Chairman Food Commodities; Mr Olu Ajanaku, Mr Fela Olorunmodimu, Chief Abiodun Adejo and many others.
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