Governor Dapo Abiodun

Ogun State government says it has engaged over 70,000 youths in crops and livestock production, while about 3,000 more are ready to explore advantage inherent in the dairy sub-sector.

The State Governor,  Prince Dapo Abiodun, disclosed this at the Virtual Launch and Unveiling of the Centre for Nigerian Dutch  Dairy Development in Nigeria, a subsidiary of Friesland Campina WAMCO Nigeria Plc on Thursday.

Abiodun noted that already farmers from the state are part of the 9000 workforce trained by WAMCO, the leading milk producer.

He said the state would partner with the company to explore opportunities in the sub-sector.

He said the State agricultural programmes were deliberately focused on youths, especially the farm entrepreneurs and smallholder farmers, adding that the objective was to assist them leverage on opportunities in the agricultural sector, including animal husbandry and the dairy sub sector, through a well-coordinated value chain initiative.

“We have continue to provide support to all our farmers, in terms of land, training, off-taking, credits and input, with our partners ensuring the sustainability of the projects and profitability of the markets.

“I commend the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and all our partners for their commitment towards the continued growth of Agriculture and all other sectors of our dear State’s economy.  I am happy to inform you all that we have been successful in this area of economic diversification and agricultural industrialization as well as in our food security, poverty alleviation and job creation programme in our dear State”, the Governor stated.

Prince Abiodun lauded the company for its commitment to backward integration through cooperatives, partnerships, training and support that has produced over 9,000 dairy farmers, including 950 women across communities, especially in Ogun State.

“Barring any unexpected happenings, the Dairy Development Programme (DDP) which you pioneered in August 2010 in Nigeria will become more vibrant, result-oriented and mutually beneficial with the establishment of a full-fledged Centre for Nigerian Dutch Dairy Development in Nigeria (CNDDD). This seems to me a definitive approach to growing local content and building capacity”, he said.

The Governor hinted that the State was willing to open its doors to profitable ventures, maintaining that as an administration, it understand that governance was all about the people and therefore committed to partnering with genuine individuals and organisations that would further guarantee the successful implementation of its agenda and the realization of its agricultural roadmap that targets food security, job creation and agricultural industrialization.

Government, he noted, was committed to a viable Public-Private Partnership (PPP) by attracting quality private investments from across the globe, through the provision of conducive atmosphere for existing businesses to grow and establishment of new ones.

Other steps taken, according to the Governor, included the establishment of Ogun Invest, to provide a one-stop shop to facilitate investments and a Public Private Partnership (PPP) Office to standardize and guarantee partnership with private sector partners; aggressive pursuit of infrastructural development and strengthening of the State security architecture.