Stakeholders pledge support for Agbeladun to tackle food insecurity, poverty
Stakeholders in agriculture have expressed their readiness to partner with Agbeladun Empowerment, a non-governmental organization, on food sufficiency and alleviation of poverty among the people, thereby curbing the present hardship.
Addressing the group as host, the Secretary to the Ondo State Government, Hon. Temitayo Oluwatuyi, described the group as unique, not profit-oriented but seeking to improve the lives of the most vulnerable in society.
He noted that the government is faced with challenges in palliative distribution, where landlords with cars struggle for palliatives rather than the vulnerable. He prayed that they experience the hardships of the vulnerable.
He called on the group to also consider widowers in their activities, as they are as vulnerable as widows, yet their plight often goes unnoticed.
However, he assured them of his readiness to collaborate with the group to ensure success in alleviating the lives of the less privileged in society.
While emphasizing the need for suitable office accommodation, he disclosed that they would be able to access government grants, which northerners have been enjoying.
Additionally, Princess Abike Bayo-Ilawole, the Secretary of the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC), who received the visiting team, observed the need to intensify efforts in sensitizing people on the importance of agriculture as the only means for survival.
She said this would not only reduce hardship but also serve as an alternative livelihood source, particularly in OSOPADEC catchment areas where fishing is the primary occupation.
Ilawole appreciated Agbeladun for its activities and emphasized the importance of modernizing agricultural practices through continuous training and capacity building for rural dwellers.
She expressed the commission’s readiness to support the state government in ensuring food security and stabilizing food prices in the state.
Furthermore, Sir Ademola Adetula, the Chief Executive Officer of The Hope, who received the team at The Hope premises, urged Nigerians to embrace agriculture to overcome the prevailing economic challenges facing the nation.
He described the present hardship as self-inflicted but addressable if Nigerians embrace farming.
Reflecting on the past, Adetula noted that about 40 years ago, the country experienced food sufficiency due to a strong agricultural culture.
He emphasized that every Nigerian has a role in eradicating hunger, and the current situation should serve as a wake-up call for all. Adetula warned that without economic independence, Nigeria would be vulnerable to external influences, leading to severe consequences if the country cannot achieve self-sufficiency in food production.
He commended Agbeladun for its initiative in encouraging Nigerians to return to farming and assured support for the organization in promoting its activities.
At all the establishments visited, the Chairman of Agbeladun, Farmer Franklin Fadoju, highlighted the organization’s continuous assistance to the people by providing free training on agricultural commodities as a means of empowerment.
He disclosed that the group is presently training people on tomatoes, peppers, and onions at no cost across the senatorial districts, with training concluding at Ikare in the northern senatorial district on Saturday, July 27th, 2024.
Similar training sessions were held last week in the southern senatorial district at Ilaje on Saturday, July 20th, and in the central senatorial district at Akure on Saturday, July 13th, 2024.
Speaking at OSOPADEC, Fadoju said their partnership with OSOPADEC will bridge the gap between the people receiving agricultural benefits and the dividends of agriculture at the local, state, and federal levels.
“We are committed to assisting the people through training, provision of soft loans, grants, inputs, and palliatives from the government to the vulnerable such as widows, lepers, orphanages, and other less privileged,” he said.
