Kwara pledges adequate support for subsistence farmers

TKwara State Government has assured subsistence farmers of its commitment to uplifting their standard of living through various intervention programmes in the agricultural sector. Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mallam Gidado Abdullateef Alakawa gave the assurance in Ilorin, during a stakeholder’s engagement with the Zuru Farming Community in Adewole Ward, Ilorin West Local Council.

He explained that subsistence farmers have a critical role to play in achieving the present administration’s agricultural transformation plan, with a resolve to make agriculture the revenue hub of the state economy. Alakawa said the Zuru community is a major farming bloc dealing in large scale plantation of various crops for domestic consumption and exports, to complement employment opportunities, increase revenue generation and ensuring food security in the state and the country at large.

He assured the visiting team of the state government’s consideration of its request in its all- year- round farming programme and other ongoing agricultural intervention programmes. Earlier in his remarks, the facilitator, Mr. Tejidini Olayinka had disclosed that Zuru is a large farming Community in Adewole area, contributing its quotas to the economic development of the state.

The Zuru farmers, he said, wanted the state government to empower them through the provision of improved seedlings, agrochemicals, fertilisers and other agricultural inputs and machineries that would enhance their farming activities.