Governor  Kayode Fayemi

13/12/2011 (THISDAY Live) - Ekiti State Government has signed a  Memo-randum of  Understan-ding  with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on cassava transformation in the  State.

The State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, at a brief ceremony at  the Governor’s office, Ado- Ekiti,  said the MoU was in furtherance of his administration’s resolve to generate at least 50 percent  of its internally Generated Revenue  (IGR) from the agricultural sector and make Ekiti the food basket of the South West, just like it used to be in the 1950s.

“This is coming at a good time that the Ministry is going to offer Ekiti State a lot of support both in the design and implementation of our efforts in the cassava transforamtion sector. It is a delight to sign this Memorandum of Understanding with the Honourable Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development”, Fayemi said.

According to him, the state government had similarly signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Wicklow group, a non-governmental organisation, to take over Gede Farm settlement with a focus on rice and cassava production; adding that the state government would soon inaugurate a committee on the implementation of Cassava transformation as well as cocoa and oil palm production  in the State.

Fayemi said agriculture was life for Ekiti State because about 75% of the population are into subsistence farming but his administration was committed to ensuring a shift from subsistence agriculture to commercial abgricultural so as to actualise the goal ofhis administration’s target of generating income from the sector.

He however expressed optimism that the State would benefit from the agricultural programmes of the the federal government. Speaking also at the event, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina said if Nigeria focused on cassava production, it would safe at least Two hundred and fifty Billion Naira annually which is being  spent on importation of wheat flour.

The Minister assured that the federal government would partner with Ekiti State in developing its immense agricultural potentials; noting that the State is rich in cocoa, oil palm, rice and  cassava.

Adesina lamented that Nigeria has slipped to zero percent in the production and  exportation of cocoa to the global community even though it used to account for 27% of cocoa production in the world.

He disclosed that the federal government was planning to establish 60,000 hectares of  palm plantation between 2011 and 2015 to reduce importation of oil palm worth N500m and establish an Oil Palm Marketing and Trade Corporation which would  serve as a board for the oil palm sector. The Minister commended Dr. Fayemi on his vision for the agricultural sector and assured that the federal government would not relent in supporting the state.