In completion of the ongoing pilot phase disbursement of input and assets to farmers under the Nigeria COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (NG-CARES), domesticated as OGUN-CARES FADAMA RA2, farmers from Mile 6 Farmers Community  and Omu-Eleni Farmers’ Community Associations in Odeda Local Government and Odogbolu Local Government Areas respectively, have received no fewer than 1,500 day-old broilers.

Others got 60 bags of starter feeds , while drugs were disbursed to poultry farmers. Crop farmers  also had 20 bags of fertilizer and herbicides, water pumps, sprayer and seed planters.

It would be recalled that pilot phase distribution of inputs and assets such as pigs, sheep and goats, fertilizers, cassava processing equipment, and rice processing equipment, among others commenced in Ado-Odo/Ota, Yewa North, Ijebu North and Obafemi Owode Local Governments, where different groups of livestock and crop farmers and other agricultural value-chain stakeholders were empowered.

In his keynote address at disbursement exercise in Abeokuta, Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Adeola Odedina, said the OGUN-CARES FADAMA, is a World Bank project facilitated by the Federal Government in conjunction with Ogun State Government at providing economic incentives for over 20,000 farmers across the State,  to liberate them from the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr. Odedina, represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr. Dotun Sorunke, stated that the disbursement was to test run the project,  noting that the Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun would soon launch the input and asset distribution in all the Local Government Areas of the State, advising the beneficiaries to reciprocate the gesture by making judicious use of the items given to them.

Earlier in his address, the Programme Manager, OGUN-CARES FADAMA RA2, Mrs.Solape Awe  said the Prince Dapo Abiodun-led administration was passionate about smallholder farmers, especially youths and women, with the aim of turning their lots around positively, as the items given to them were good leverage, capable of reviving their dwindling farming businesses.

Awe warned the beneficiaries not to block the chances of other farmers from benefiting from the project, by making judicious use of items given to them, imploring those in other enterprises to patiently wait for their turn.

On his part, the Chairman, Odeda Local Government, Alhaja Folashade Adeyemi, commended the State Government for supporting farmers at grassroots, admonishing the beneficiaries to make ample use of the inputs and assets for themselves and others in the nearest future.

Also speaking, her counterpart in Odogbolu, Hon. Shuaib Ladejobi, represented by Hon. Azeez Akinwade, who lauded the State government for the support to farmers, congratulated the beneficiaries and assured that the government would continue with the lofty initiative, warning against wastage, carelessness and selling off the items.

In their separate remarks, the Chairman, Mile 6 Farmers’ Community and Omu-Eleni Farmers’ Community Associations, Mr. Wole Soetan and Mr. Johnson Emmanuel respectively, expressed delight for the incentives, describing it as a motivation that would revive and sustain their farming enterprises.