Ondo State Deploys Military to Protect Farmers, Boosts Agribusiness

Strategic Insights -

The Ondo State government has deployed military officers to farmlands across the state to protect farmers from frequent herder-related attacks. This intervention is part of a wider effort to strengthen food security, create jobs, and encourage investment in agriculture. Senior Special Assistant to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa on Agriculture and Agribusiness, Mr. Rotimi Akinsola, disclosed that more than 22 military officers have been stationed in the Ala axis of Akure North Local Government Area. The deployment aims to guarantee safety in farming communities, reclaim encroached lands, and open up vast farmlands for cultivation by both smallholder farmers and large-scale investors.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Ondo State government has deployed over 22 military officers to protect farmers from herder-related attacks in the Ala axis of Akure North Local Government Area.
  • The intervention is part of a broader effort to strengthen food security, create jobs, and encourage investment in agriculture, aiming to make Ondo a major food-producing state in the Southwest.
  • The state government has implemented measures to address unemployment, improve food production, and boost agribusiness, with a focus on youth empowerment through the sanatorium farms system and land training opportunities.
  • Agriculture remains central to Governor Aiyedatiwa's economic blueprint, focusing on food sufficiency and youth empowerment.
  • The state government will continue to partner with private investors and local farmers to expand agricultural production and strengthen Ondo's role as a major food-producing state.
  • Encroachment on forest reserves will be addressed, with the state government aiming to reclaim 16 forest reserves and make land accessible for farming and investment.

Statistics:

  • 22 military officers have been deployed to the Ala axis of Akure North Local Government Area.
  • The state government aims to open up vast farmlands for cultivation by both smallholder farmers and large-scale investors.
  • 16 forest reserves have been identified for reclamation to make land accessible for farming and investment.
  • The government plans to establish a sanatorium farms system to encourage youth empowerment in agriculture.

Sources:

  • A senior special assistant to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa on Agriculture and Agribusiness, Mr. Rotimi Akinsola
  • The Ondo State Government
  • Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa's policy on agribusiness
  • Private investors and local farmers in Ondo State.