OGUN TARGETS POST-HARVEST LOSSES WITH STRATEGIC USE OF AGRO INFRASTRUCTURE

OGUN TARGETS POST-HARVEST LOSSES WITH STRATEGIC USE OF AGRO INFRASTRUCTURE

   The Ogun State Ministry of Agriculture has intensified its drive to drastically reduce post-harvest losses by calling on farmers and stakeholders to fully utilise the agricultural infrastructure established by the present administration.

   Speaking at the “Ogun Agricultural Infrastructure Sustainability” forum in Ibara, Abeokuta, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Hon. Bolu Owotomo, described the engagement as a decisive step toward maximising government investments and strengthening the state’s agricultural value chain.

   He noted that Ogun’s agricultural transformation journey gained momentum under the Ogun State Economic Transformation Project (OGSTEP),which has successfully registered over 160,000 farmers through the State Farmers Information Management System (OGFIMS),a pioneering initiative providing structured financial access, improved farm management and expanded production capacity.

   Beyond financial support, over 40,000 farmers have benefited from targeted capacity-building programmes across cassava, rice, aquaculture and poultry value chains. Participants were organised into clusters to promote economies of scale, enhance collaboration and improve market access. adding that government interventions have supported more than 35,000 cassava and maize farmers, over 4,000 fish farmers and more than 1,000 poultry farmers with critical inputs.

   Highlighting the urgency of reform, the Commissioner revealed that up to 40 percent of food produced nationwide is lost thry post-harvest.,and to reverse this trend, the Ministry conducted a comprehensive infrastructure needs assessment, leading to the launch of “Operation Overdrive.” The initiative delivered five fish processing centres, a 140,000-capacity broiler facility, a 5,000-birds-per-day poultry processing plant powered by a 1MW solar grid, solar dryers, warehouses and cassava processing centres.

   Owotomo emphasised that infrastructure must be matched with effective management, sustainability frameworks and strong stakeholder collaboration to ensure increased incomes, reduced waste and long-term food security.

   He commended Governor Dapo Abiodun for his visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to farmers’ welfare, expressing confidence that the forum would generate practical strategies to guarantee sustainable returns on the state’s agricultural investments.

   A representative of the Ministry of Industry,Trade and Investment, Mrs Oluyemisi Folarin, and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Agriculture,Dr. Leke Otegbeye at the forum reaffirmed the importance of inter-ministerial collaboration and private-sector participation in consolidating Ogun State’s position as a leading agricultural hub driven not only by higher productivity, but by value addition, processing efficiency and enduring economic growth.

   Also speak, the Programme Manager of the OGSTEP Agric Sector, Oluseyi Olugbire, explained that the forum was organized as a multi-stakeholder platform to deliberate on best practices, operational models, maintenance strategies, financing mechanisms and collaborative approaches to safeguard the longevity and efficiency of state supported agricultural infrastructure,as well as the health safety and economic advancement of user groups.

   In her remarks,the State Chairman of All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN),Alhaja Ganiyat Adeoye-Kusimo, lauded the various government interventions aimed at boosting food production and improving farmers livelihoods in the state.