The Oyo State Government has revealed that it has abandoned plans to develop maize production for export to Botswana after feasibility studies showed that the crop could not be produced competitively at the scale and price required.
The government said the decision should not be interpreted as a retreat from international agricultural trade but as a shift toward agricultural value chains it considers more commercially sustainable.
The state noted that the decision, taken under Governor ‘Seyi Makinde, is part of a broader shift towards agribusiness value chains, believing it has stronger commercial advantages, particularly cassava production and processing.
The government said the original Botswana proposal, explored during Makinde’s first term, was intended to expand cultivation, provide farmers with guaranteed markets, and generate foreign exchange through agricultural exports.
Studies by the Oyo state Agribusiness Development Agency (OYSADA), however, found that the state lacked a sufficient comparative advantage in maize production for the proposed export market.
Governor Makinde described the decision as an example of his administration’s approach of using data and economic analysis to determine agricultural policy rather than pursuing projects for political visibility.
The government said changes in Nigeria’s maize market, including federal approval for large-scale maize imports, affected local prices and the economics of domestic production, making an export-oriented maize strategy less attractive.
Oyo disclosed that it consequently redirected resources towards agricultural value chains with greater potential for processing, industrial use, and export rather than continuing with the Botswana plan.
Makinde said the shift forms part of a wider strategy for positioning within the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which Oyo had been working to implement at the sub-national level, noting the state sees agriculture, agro-processing, and trade logistics as key areas for exploiting the continental market.
He disclosed that a major component of the strategy is the Fasola Agribusiness Transformation Centre, developed from the former Fasola Farm Settlement, saying the facility has attracted multiple agribusiness companies and investments in crop production and processing.
Makinde noted that the government is also developing additional agribusiness hubs, including projects in Eruwa and Ijaiye, to connect farmers with processors and markets across the state.
The governor described the hubs as part of an interconnected agricultural ecosystem aimed at moving Oyo beyond primary production towards value-added exports.
He said since cassava has emerged as a major focus of the strategy, the state has expanded support for cassava cultivation and processing while also providing agricultural inputs and financing to smallholder farmers.
Governor Makinde noted that thousands of farmers have received cassava stems, maize seeds, and other agricultural inputs under various programmes.
He stated that infrastructure and security have also been incorporated into the strategy, citing rural roads, logistics infrastructure, and improved security as measures intended to reduce production and post-harvest losses.
Packaged by Lanre Olabisi
