Kogi State Launches Wet Season Farming Initiative With Focus On Youth, Women

News in Brief: - Kogi state has launched its wet season farming initiative, allocating over 70% of cultivated land to youth and women farmers. -The government also invested 7 billion naira in farm implements to boost production and contribute to national food security. Kogi State Governor Ahmed Ododo has officially launched the 2024 wet season farming initiative in Kogi State. In an official statement issued on behalf of the governor by the special adviser to the governor on media, Ismailah Isah, he highlighted the importance of agriculture in poverty reduction and announced that over 70% of the cultivated land this season will be allocated to youth and women farmers. This development is coming on the heels of the disclosure by the state government that it has invested over ₦7 billion in farm implements, including over 100 tractors, to cultivate over 7,324 hectares of land across the state's 21 local government areas. Also, Governor Ododo reiterated the state's potential to become a leading agricultural producer in Nigeria. He expressed support for President Bola Tinubu's agricultural transformation initiatives, which align with the state’s green objectives, and pledged to contribute to national food security goals. Additionally, while calling on citizens of the state abroad to come home to invest in the its burgeoning agricultural sector, the governor noted that his administration is opening farmlands and preparing more land for cultivation of crops. The crops being referred to here include rice, maize, cassava, yam, and other staple food crops and grains. The statement noted the viability of the green sector, as youth are beginning to embrace agriculture as a credible source of wealth creation. It added that women play a vital role in agriculture and are committed to transforming the sector.