Governor Ademola Adeleke has outlined his administration’s detailed plans for the agricultural sector in Osun State. He assured stakeholders that farm inputs, tractorization, and food security are being prioritized.

Speaking on Friday after meeting with a Nordic firm interested in establishing a tractor assembly plant in Osun, Governor Adeleke described the state’s agricultural plans as robust and inclusive. He emphasized the importance of bridging infrastructure gaps to enhance connectivity between rural and urban areas, which is essential for empowering the agricultural sector.

Having made significant progress in infrastructure, the state is now ready to implement specific agricultural programs. An implementation committee, chaired by the Special Adviser on Agriculture, Hon Olaniran Akanfe, will oversee these initiatives, focusing on the recommendations of the food security committee.

Key programs include the Osun Young Agropreneurs Incubation Programme, targeting young farmers across the agricultural value chain. This program will feature land provision, tractorization, guaranteed offtake, irrigation farming, hydroponic integration, precision farming, and gender inclusivity.

The state has also acquired tractors and is negotiating a leasing deal with the tractor hiring association. Existing tractors are being repaired, and a federal-state partnership on fertilizers will soon enable fertilizer distribution to farmers.

Additionally, the state is promoting plantation farming, starting with cashew and cocoa, and aims to revive the cocoa industry and support agro-processing through public-private partnerships.

Governor Adeleke expressed enthusiasm for the potential partnership with the Nordic firm to set up a tractor assembly plant in the state, welcoming their initiative and inviting further discussions.