The Federal Government has been urged to develop a workable monitoring and evaluation mechanism for all funds and their investments in the country’s agriculture sector.
The Chairman, Ekiti State University (EKSU) Ado Ekiti, Alumni Association, Ekiti State chapter, Mr Adetunji Aribasoye, who stated this, said such monitoring would ensure the delivery of quality services and the assurance of food security.
Aribasoye, who commended the Ekiti government, Ekiti varsity, and the Alumni body for their involvement in agricultural activities in the state to boost food security and sustenance, spoke in Ado Ekiti at a press conference organised by the alumni association for its annual lecture and award ceremony scheduled for March 31, 2025.
While noting that the federal government seems deliberate in investing in agriculture for real farmers, he said it would help the nation attain food security and sustenance.
The EKSU Alumni Chair said, “I know the federal government is doing a lot across the crossing to boost agriculture by investing heavily in the sector. A lot of funding is already in place for farmers. I am aware the first batch of 2000 tractors has been brought into the country to be given to farmers free of charge; according to the information I heard and through the National Agricultural Development Fund, a lot is happening.
“But I still want to advise the federal government to establish a robust monitoring and evaluation process to ensure that every Kobo that goes into agriculture is monitored and ensure we have quality service delivery in this regard.
“So that all real farmers and young people interested in going into agriculture can truly get involved and have access to these things. This can only be achieved through serious, robust monitoring and evaluation”.
Highlighting some of the achievements of the alumni association inaugurated in September 2023, he said they had a record breakthrough in driving huge membership, the constitution of a multipurpose cooperative society, which in its first three months has generated income of over N11 million in the account, and the plan to build chalets at the Alumni village to commerce after the events, among others.
On what the state, the university, and the alumni association are doing to boost food security, he said the university gave the association 10 hectares of land to farm, and the government assisted in the land opening process.
