VCDP Intervention Will Open Export Opportunities For Investors-OGSG.

The opportunity offered by the Value-Chain Development Programme (VCDP), has opened up industrialisation in agric processing business in Ogun State as production capacity is on the increase with more firms showing interest in agro business.

State Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Adeola Odedina who expressed this assurance during an inspection tour with Marketing Enterprise Development Advisor, National Office, VCDP, Hajia Fatimah Muktar-Buhari, to some agricultural projects at Agbelere Baara Cassava Processing Centre, Baara Village, Obafemi Owode Local Government Area, said high quality cassava flour has come to stay in Ogun State.

“We are proud of this project in Ogun State. In fact, VCDP has used this to move the Ministry of Agriculture forward. Government is seizing every opportunity to assist the farmers. So, farmers should always convey their challenges to us for prompt government’s intervention”, he said.

He expressed optimism that the Value-Chain Development Programme intervention with its industrial linkage, would encourage export opportunities for investors.

Speaking earlier, Hajia Fatimah Muktar-Buhari, said she was satisfied at the level of development at the centre through VCDP, encouraging the State government to continue to support the growth of agriculture for economic boost.

“I’m really impressed about the events here. There is great success in this Value Chain Development Programme. The State Government and the Ministry of Agriculture should continue to support. We know you are trying very hard among all other States”, she said.

The State Coordinator, Value-Chain Development Programme, Mr. Samuel Adeogun, showed the guests various training programmes being organised for local farmers across the State and how the farmers had imbibed modern agricultural practices.

He also spoke about different VCDP’s supported technology based, cassava and rice demonstration farms created in different parts of the State.

Responding, the Chairman of Agbelere Farmers’ Cluster, Mr. Owolabi Olusegun explained that they started as a cooperative body, processing garri and fufu in local ways, under a shed, until VCDP equipped them with modern facilities that produce 10 tons of garri per day.

Olusegun maintained that their daily production could no longer meet market demands, hence the need to engage more youths in the chain of production.

The inspection tour was also extended to Harvest Feeds and Agro Processing Limited, Ajura, a cassava processing firm, at Obafemi Owode Local Government, where the Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Goke Adeyemi revealed that agric processing business has lots of Value-Chain opportunities, appreciating the State government and VCDP’s intervention.

Adeyemi who requested for more assistance in terms of sourcing for raw materials which he described as insufficient, identified the global pandemic and poor power supply as major setbacks to the business, calling on government and VCDP to engage more youths and empower processing firms with modern facilities and small holder farmers to become commercial farmers.