Prince Dapo Abiodun’s government in Ogun State has confirmed that it has earmarked 10,000 hectares of land for members of National Cotton Association of Nigeria for Cotton production in the state.
The state governor, Dapo Abiodun, said this at the official flag off of the recovery of cotton outputs for Anchors for the 2019 planting season held in Ijebu-Igbo, Ijebu North Local Government Area.
Abiodun advised the state cotton growers association to speed up the process of completing their documentation with Central Bank of Nigeria and other Anchors for this year’s growing season.
The governor assured the cotton association of government’s support in improving the productivity of cotton farmers and all actors in the cotton value chain in the state.
Abiodun, represented by the Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Adeola Odedina, said his government recognised the employment generation potential of cotton enterprises and the importance of sustaining the need for raw materials by textile and allied industries.
He said, “We will support smallholder farmers to raise their yield through deliberate extension services in the Anchor Borrowers Programme under our watch.”
He expressed government’s tireless resolve to continue to link farmers in the state with industrial process, as part of national effort to reduce imports and encourage exports, while at the same time providing employment.
In their separate remarks, the branch controller of CBN Abeokuta, Wahab Osenu, and State Chairman of NACOTAN, Shola Osasona, appreciated government’s effort targeted at linking farmers to credit, input, mechanisation and assured markets.
Credit: punchng.com
