Oyo Trains 24,000 Farmers On Soil Testing, Modern Farming

Oyo State government has commenced activities marking the 2026 World Food Day with an agricultural quiz competition and interactive session aimed at encouraging youths and students to embrace agriculture, innovation and modern farming practices.

The event, held at the Parliament Building, House of Chiefs, Secretariat, Ibadan, featured discussions on agricultural innovation, food security, sustainable farming practices and the role of young people in transforming the agricultural sector.

Delivering the keynote address on the first day of the two-day celebration, the state’s commissioner for agriculture and rural development, Barrister Olasunkanmi Olaleye, said achieving innovation in agriculture required deliberate efforts to encourage youths and students to embrace the sector.

He noted that young people had a critical role to play in developing innovative solutions to agricultural challenges and ensuring sustainable food production for future generations.

Speaking on the various initiatives of the present administration towards enhancing food security, Olaleye said the government of Governor Seyi Makinde had continued to implement programmes aimed at improving agricultural productivity. strengthening rural infrastructure and supporting farmers across the state.

The commissioner disclosed that about 24,000 farmers had been trained in soil testing and climate-smart agricultural practices in 2026 to improve farming efficiency, productivity and resilience to climate change.

He added that the state government had also prioritised the construction of key rural roads to improve accessibility to farming communities and facilitate the timely transportation of agricultural produce. The roads include Ibadan-Iseyin, Oyo-Iseyin, Ogbomoso-Iseyin and Saki-Ogboro-Igboho roads, among others.

Olaleye further explained that through the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), the state government had invested in the remodelling of major markets to improve agricultural marketing and support rural economic development.

He listed Oja-Agbe Market in Iseyin, Aare-Alasa Market in Akanran, Ona-Ara Local Government Area, and Oja-Oba Market in Igbo-Ora, Ibarapa Central Local Government Area, among the markets whose remodeling, including storage facilities, had been completed.