Ogun State Governor Prince Dapo Abiodun has said his administration would explore available partnership options between Germany and his state in the area of food production.
He said Ogun State is looking at ways of contributing to the food security agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Prince Abiodun stated this when he received the consul- general, German Embassy, Weert Borner in his Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta office yesterday.
Abiodun said his administration is on the lookout for partners in the area of merchandised farming, adding that the state government would be supporting small farmers across eight extension services by teaching them how to grow.
The governor also said that tractors and other forms of mechanised farming equipment that will help his administration in achieving its plan will also be provided for farmers in the state.
“I would like to explore with you and have a partnership that we can find with the German government in supporting us in our new resolve to up the ante in food production.
“Our new policy now is to partner anyone who wants to come and farm in Ogun State by providing the land, by ensuring that the lands are accessible, by also clearing the land.
“To that extent, we are looking for partners in the area of merchandised farming and providing tractors and other forms of mechanised farming techniques that will help us in achieving our plan.
“In the last few days, we’ve been deliberating on how to ensure that we contribute our quota to the food security agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“We believe that we can easily be the bread basket of this nation and we are devising new strategies to achieve the objective in the shortest time.’’
“We have an ambitious plan of ensuring that in the next 12 months, this becomes easily visible across the state. We welcome partners that will assist us in that part,” he said.
Earlier in his remarks, the consul-general noted that the German government is looking at increasing its ties with the state in the agricultural sector and energy transition.
“The two major areas we want to focus in increasing cooperation between Ogun State and Germany is the agricultural sector; meaning better production, better methods of agriculture, plus making agriculture more sustainable and environment friendly and of course supporting Ogun State in food security for all Nigerians,” he said.
