Kogi will be central of food production in 2025- Agriculture Commissioner Ojomah
The Kogi State Commissioner for Agriculture Hon.Timothy Ojomah says the State under the leadership of Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo will be the central hub of food production for the Country in 2025.
Hon. Ojomah disclosed this shortly after defending the ministry 2025 budget at the Kogi State House of Assembly.
The Commissioner, who acknowledged that the State recorded remarkable success in food production in 2024 despite the flooding in some parts of the Local Government noted that the Government will continue to provide farm inputs and supports for farmers to boost agriculture production.
According to him, “Kogi State is producing more cassava than any other states in the country. It’s equally on record that Kogi State produced the highest quantity of cashew in Nigeria. Several persons have been coming to Kogi State to purchase our agricultural product which is a welcome development.
“We might look at it as if it is a big disadvantage to the State, but is an advantage to us because we are creating more economic value for our people as they will be empowered economically. As Kogi State is producing more agricultural product, it is creating an enabling environment for people to come and buy from us which will increase our Gross Domestic Product, (GDP).
“The Ministry projection in 2025 is that, Kogi State will serve as the biggest brother in food production for the entire nation, including Africa as a continent. The present administration is committed to
expand our production scale from the existing 10,000 hectares of land to about 50,000.
” The plans of the Government is to ensure that all necessary machineries are put in place that will support full mechanization. One of it is the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL). Is a World Bank project that Kogi State is benefiting from.
“As we speak, the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) is going to provide enough earth moving machines such a bulldozer, tractors, excavators, and many more that will support agricultural activities in the state”.
Ojomah recalled that the State Government had recently purchased tractors, bulldozers to encourage mechanized farming in the State adding that, plans are under way to refurbished some that are down.
It could be recalled the members of the Kogi State House of Assembly had earlier commended the Commissioner for Agriculture for his good work in the State.