…21,000 bags of fertilizer already distributed
The Oyo State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to boosting food production and improving the livelihoods of smallholder farmers through agricultural subsidies, distribution of farm inputs, training and other support programmes.
The Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr Olasunkanmi Olaleye, stated this on Thursday while delivering his keynote address at the 2026 World Food Day celebration held at the House of Chiefs, Oyo State Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan.
Olaleye said the state government’s interventions had contributed to agricultural development and helped ease some of the challenges confronting smallholder farmers across the state.
He listed agricultural input distribution, subsidies, capacity-building initiatives and rural infrastructure development among the measures adopted by the government to improve farmers’ productivity and strengthen the agricultural sector.
According to him, more than 8,000 farmers benefited from a 50 per cent tractor ploughing subsidy between January and September 2026, while over 21,000 bags of fertiliser were distributed free to farmers between 2024 and 2025.
The commissioner added that 8,000 farmers received soil-testing training in 2026, while the reconstruction of key rural-urban roads had improved access to farming communities and facilitated the movement of agricultural produce to markets.
Speaking on the theme of the 2026 World Food Day, ‘Innovation Today, Nourish Tomorrow’, Olaleye said it aligned with the state government’s agricultural development agenda and the need to adopt modern, sustainable approaches to food production.
He said the theme challenged stakeholders to move beyond conventional farming methods by embracing innovation, technology, research and sustainable agricultural practices to transform the sector.
Olaleye noted that the state government was promoting climate-smart agriculture, improved seeds and livestock breeds, appropriate mechanisation services, irrigation, efficient storage facilities and improved processing technologies to address existing challenges in the sector.
He assured farmers that the government would sustain its support for programmes designed to increase agricultural productivity, strengthen value chains, empower women and young people, promote agribusiness and enhance food security.
The commissioner stressed that adopting innovative and sustainable farming methods remained crucial to ensuring adequate food production and building a resilient agricultural sector capable of meeting the needs of the state’s growing population.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Oyo State chapter, Mr Adewunmi Abass, commended the state government for its interventions, particularly in providing loans and agricultural inputs to farmers.
Abass, however, urged the government to intensify efforts to address insecurity affecting farming communities and tackle other challenges confronting farmers across the state.
He emphasised the need for sustained government support to protect farmers, improve their access to essential resources and create an enabling environment for increased food production.