OGSG to Collaborate with Malaysia on Agric Production

The Ogun State government is ready to collaborate with individuals, groups corporate bodies and government that possess the experience and technical know how that could be used to revamp the State’s agricultural sector.

 

Governor Ibikunle Amosun made this declaration while receiving in his office a delegation of the Malaysian Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based industry led by the Secretary – General of the Ministry, Dato Mohammed Hashim Abdullah.

 

Governor Amosun said his recent trip to the Asian country gave him the conviction that the Malaysian Agricultural Ministry has the competence and wherewithal to assist the State government in all areas of agricultural development.

 

“In this collaboration, we are starting with 10 of our local governments and of course all the local governments in the State have their own uniqueness in terms of crops production and we are looking into where we have comparative advantage like rice, cassava, palm plantation, cotton and many others” the Governor said.

 

Governor Amosun who expressed willingness to partner with his guests said if the State gets it right in agricultural production, it would be able to create massive employment opportunities for the unemployed youths.

 

“I like the idea of a second generation farming which you mentioned as this will encourage our youths to go into farming and enable us to capture the young ones for agricultural activities”.

 

Affirming that the State has a huge market for finished products, Governor Amosun assured his visitors that government would get all the stakeholders in the agricultural sector to be part of the collaboration in order to tap from the Malaysian experience saying that “I am looking at a highly successful collaboration with your government that will translate to an improved agricultural development in our state”

 

Speaking earlier, the Secretary – General, Malaysian Ministry of Agriculture and agro based industry; Mr. Hashim Abdullah said the Malaysian government was ready to collaborate with the Ogun State government in the area of Agriculture.

 

In a presentation the C.E.O of Marditech Corporation, a private Malaysian agricultural firm expected to drive the collaboration, Mr. Anas Ahmad Nasarudin revealed that the company is into processing, packaging and distribution of agricultural products in many countries across the world.

 

He said presently, the company was collaborating with Ondo and Kano States in rice production and food processing, expressing optimism that the State could benefit from the collaboration in rice production and processing, oil palm production, cassava production and processing, establishment of Green – houses for Tomato and Pepper production and establishment of model farm estates among others.