Oyo Govt efforts in agribusiness already producing positive results - OYSADA DG

Dr. Debo Akande, the Director-General, Oyo State Agribusiness Development Agency (OYSADA), says the state government's efforts in agribusiness are already yielding positive results.

Akande made this known at Fasola Farm in Oyo while welcoming Mr. Ben Langat, the Managing Director of Friesland Campina WAMCO Nigeria PLC, who led other members of the company on a facility tour of the farm on Friday.

This was given the company's readiness to set up a milk collection center through dairy livestock farming within the facility.

Akande, who is also the executive adviser to Gov. Seyi Makinde on agribusiness, said that the state agribusiness venture has been thriving, as evidenced by the increase in internally generated revenue and job creation opportunities.

Addressing journalists shortly after the facility tour, Akande said: "We have ensured that our agricultural hubs are going to be completely private sector driven."

"One of the things that created problems for all of those farm settlements we had in the past was that they were driven by the public sector.

"And in so doing, we are attracting the investors that can run the hub."

"Fasola Farm was known for livestock farming for many years, and the work we've been doing in terms of livestock has created impacts across the state."

"What we are doing now is bringing back the glory of the past, but in a different way, because our milk collection partner investors are known for our dairy and livestock."

"So, we will see a manifestation of a modern approach in livestock and dairy production within this particular facility that we have, and to me, I think that is quite significant."

According to him, the state government is already generating revenue because this farm is not given for free to our milk investor company.

"They are paying leases on the land they are using; they have already paid and they will be paying annually for the next 20 years," he said.

Akande said this was not limited only to the milk collection partner but also to other investors in the hub.

"All of them are here on lease; the government is going to generate a chunk of their lease in the first year."

"And also be generating lease payments for the next 20 years from all these private companies; that is part one of the revenue," he said.

The director-general said the hub would generate taxes and employ people within the state, especially youths.

During the tour, beneficiaries of the Oyo

The State Youth Entrepreneurship in Agribusiness Project (YEAP), which had already cultivated up to 45 percent of the 100 hectares of land allocated to it, was also on the ground.

In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Ben Langat, the Managing Director of Friesland Campina WAMCO Nigeria PLC, said the company is in partnership with the Oyo State Government in developing an agribusiness hub, which is very important to all the parties concerned.

"We are a dairy company that is ready to ensure that we produce quality dairy for Nigerians to consume every day.

"We are developing 300 hectares of land now; that was part of the land allocated to us."

"We have developed pasture, which is part of the process before we bring cows in; we built sheds where they will feed, as well as bunkers and boreholes, as well as other things," Langat said.