Ibekimi Oriamaja Reports
Afe Babalola (SAN), the state’s top lawyer, has set aside N34 million as part of the money to be distributed to the state’s top 81 farmers.
Prof. Abiodun Ojo, Chairman of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) of the annual event, announced this yesterday at the start of this year’s edition in Ado-Ekiti.
As part of his annual contributions to promoting agriculture, the program is anchored by the annual ‘Afe Babalola Agricultural Expo and Youth Development.’
According to Ojo, Babalola conceptualized the annual program to address the agricultural sector’s relegation in the shadow of other emerging blue chip endeavors, as well as the consequences for food security in the country.
He said that in this year’s event, five top farmers were chosen from each of the state’s constitutionally recognized local governments, with the best farmer from each council taking home N200,000; second best farmer, N150,000; third best farmer, N100,000; fourth best farmer, N75,000; and fifth best farmer, N50,000.
Ojo stated that this year’s annual cash award was larger than last year’s, which he valued at N32 million, and that the overall best farmer in the state would receive N2 million, among other gifts.
He stated that unemployed youths would be empowered with large sums of money and high-tech equipment used for smoking fish, with the smallest piece of equipment valued at more than N135,000.
Governor Kayode Fayemi praised the legal icon for his gesture, which was represented by the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Olabode Adetoyi.
“Baba Afe Babalola is doing a fantastic job; we appreciate his selfless efforts and support in making the state great at all times, particularly in terms of job creation and food security,” he said.
He stated that the outgoing government never rested on its laurels when it came to funding the agricultural sector, adding that N430 million and N2 billion were spent on farm inputs and clearing farmlands, respectively.
