As the Federal Government is aiming to execute farm estate development project in the 109 senatorial districts of the country, Agbeyangi Community in Kwara State has donated 100 hectares of land for the project.
The farmland was officially handed over to the National Agricultural Land Development Agency to commence the development of a new Integrated Farm Estate.
While addressing residents of the community with the Kwara State government officials after inspecting the ongoing work at the project site, the Executive Secretary of the agency, Prince Paul Ikonne applauded the effort of the community and the contractor. He added that the project would spur economic activities in the community.
The project is expected to engage over 2000 farmers in crops and livestock when completed.
Ikonne said, “The contractor has done a very good job in clearing the provided land and the community as well is willing and ready to be engaged in this commendable landmark of the federal government.
“This also has afforded us the opportunity to educate the community that this project belongs to them,”
He further explained that the farm would focus on three major crops; maize, cassava, and yam and in the section of the animal husbandry, it would focus on producing grasscutters, rabbits and goats in commercial quantities.
With the commencement of the project, Ikonne stated that Kwara State has joined the list of states with farm estate projects. He added that the farm estate would be equipped with irrigation facilities that would provide farming all year round.
The Executive Secretary stressed that since it the desire of the President to ensure that our youths are engaged and attracted into the agricultural business. Everything that is needed to start this farm is available.
According to him, “Another benefit is food security by the virtue of what they will be processing because they have natural resources, the environment is very conducive.
“We will have all-year-round production. We will produce enough first for the community to have enough to eat, then it goes out to the state then to other states, the benefits are beyond the community.
“If we have this in every community, Nigeria will be on auto-drive to achieving food security.
“The project is not about politics, it has nothing to do with RUGA, it is purely community-based and if you are not from this community, you will not participate,” he said.
He therefore advised other communities who have available land to do the same, adding that; “It is something that every community that has land should key into for their benefit.”
Speaking on behalf of the community, Mr Mohammed Abdulkadir, said the 100 hectares of land was donated to NALDA by Agbeyangi and Eleyode community to address issues of poverty, unemployment, food insufficiency and insecurity from the community.
He said a Memorandum of Understanding had been signed to activate the implementation process of the project by NALDA.
