The implementation of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the Ogun State and Malaysian Government for sustainable agricultural development and increased food production has commenced in earnest.
This is because arrangements have already been concluded to make the Malaysian Ministry of Agriculture, Research and Development Technology (MARDITECH) start the cultivation of Ofada- specie of paddy rice in Eggua, Yewa North Local Government Area next month. To this end, a two-man delegation headed by the Executive Consultant to MARDITECH, Dato Abdul Rahman has visited the project site, a 250 hectare land already cleared for preliminary work and assessment.
Speaking at the site, Abdul Rahman said the 250 hectre farm project was a pilot scheme as more land would still be cultivated in other parts of the State for growing the Ofada rice. Thanking the Ogun State Government for providing an enabling environment for quick concretization of the agreement signed few days ago in Kualar Lumpur, Malaysia, Abdul Rahman said the Ofada rice would be planted and nurtured with the latest technology to enhance its yield and reduce post-harvest losses to the barest minimum.
The Executive Consultant to MARDITECH also revealed that local farmers would be involved in the project while training programmes are to be organised to empower them on the most modern ways of planting the rice. Reacting, the State Commissioner for Agriculture, Mrs. Ronke Sokefun who signed the MOU on behalf of the government affirmed that all necessary support would be provided by the government to make the project a huge success.
She therefore called on the farmers that would be engaged to make the best use of the opportunity to learn the latest way of planting Ofada, reiterating government’s resolve to always empower them through adequate training.
Ogun State Government Press Release
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