As part of his contributions to the development of the agriculture sector in the country, the founder of Afe Babalola University Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD) Aare Afe Babalola has set aside a sum of N34 million to be given to no fewer than 81 best-performing farmers in Ekiti state.
The chairman of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) of the annual Afe Babalola Agricultural Expo”, (ABA-EX) and Youth Development, Professor Abiodun Ojo while speaking during the opening of the programme in ABUAD said the legal luminary conceptualised the yearly programme to encourage interest in agriculture and ensure food insecurity in the society.
According to him, ” five top farmers had been selected in this year’s event, from each of the 16 recognised local government areas in the State, with the best farmer from each LG, going home with a cash sum of N200,000, second best farmer, N150,000, third best farmer, N100,000, fourth best farmer, N75,000 and the fifth best farmer, N50,000.”
He said the overall best farmer across the state would be awarded a cash sum of N2 million, among other hosting costs.
Besides, he said the Youth Empowerment angle of the annual awards would see many unemployed youths, getting cash and free Smoking Clean Equipment for smoking fish, with the least of the equipment, valued at over N135,000.
The State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, represented by the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Dr Olabode Adetoyi, commended Babalola for his kind spirit, which he described as consistent, saying, ” any state that is lucky to have five times, the type of Babalola has no reason to suffer in any form.”
” Baba Afe Babalola is doing quite great, and we appreciate him for his selfless efforts and support, in making the State great, at all times, especially in terms of the provision of jobs and ensuring food security”, he said.
He disclosed that the outgoing administration made available, a total sum of N430 million for the provision of farm inputs to farmers in the State, while also expending N2 billion to clear farmlands.
Earlier, the Vice Chancellor of ABUAD, Professor Smaranda Olarinde, reiterated the institution’s resolve to always bring radical changes to the face of education, entrepreneurship and agriculture in the country.
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