Food Security: FG Allocates 4,000 Hectares of Land To Firm For Mechanized Agriculture In Ejiba

The federal government through the Lower Niger River Basin Development Authority (LNRBDA) Ilorin on Tuesday formally allocated 4,000 hectares of farmland to the origin tech group to carry out mechanized agriculture in Ejiba, Kogi state in line with the national food security agenda of President Bola Tinubu.

The firm is to use the land for increased all-year-round agriculture purposes and water development for 5 years tenure which is also renewable.

Speaking at the execution of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the firm and the management of LNRBDA in Ilorin, its managing director, Dr. Adeniyi Saheed Aremu, said the MoU signed with the firm captured three priority areas out of the eight renewed hope agenda of president Bola Tinubu which according to him, includes “food security, ending poverty, economic growth and job creation”.

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He said the basin had earlier allocated 500 hectares of farmland to the origin tech group which they had used judiciously in growing cowpeas which prompted the authority to allocate another 4,000 hectares for similar purposes.

“We want to move a step further to 4,000 hectares to be used for the benefit of Nigerians in line with Mr President’s renewed hope agenda”, he said

In his remarks, the chairman of Origin Tech group, Prince S. J Samuel who was represented at the event by the group’s director of programs, Dr. Musa Olasupo, said the group has concluded an arrangement with its Chinese partner to train 5,000 youth on equipment handling, mentainace, and repair” in addition to creating jobs for them and boosting economic activities of the areas through all year round agriculture activities.

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Director Legal Services, Lower Nigeri Niger River Basin Development Authority Illorin,( LNRBDA) Barrister Sadiq Bello, Director of Programmes, Origin Tech Group, Dr. Musa Olasupo, Managing Director, LNRBDA, Dr Adniyi Saheed Aremu and General Manager Agric Foods, Origin Tech Group, Dr. Alao Eric shortly after signing MoU for allocation of 4,000 hectares farmland to the group in Ilorn on Tuesday. Pic Umar Bayo Abdulwahab

The chairman said the group is leveraging the national food security component of President Tinubu’s government including Belarus, Green Imperative, and Green Hope initiative in developing a model that will ensure food security within 5 years.

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On what farmers stand to benefit from the scheme, the group’s chairman said the firm will assist farmers to grow by providing them with all the logistics they need during the farming and planting seasons up till the harvesting period only for them to pay back after the harvesting.

He said the group’s “long-term vision is to make Ejiba a maximum of two commodities hub which according to him is a catalyst to attracting rapid industrialization drive”.

Prince Samuel assured the local community that the activities of the group on the allocated land “will not disrupt activities of existing smallholder farmers” saying “they will be integrated into the scheme’.