EKSG begins farm settlements’ restructuring, establishment of cluster farming

Adebayo Adenrele




The Ekiti State Government has commenced the restructuring of farm settlements as part of efforts to promote efficient utilization of
land resources and dignity in farming with the provision of basic
social needs and ultimately boost food security in the State.

The State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Ebenezer Boluwade stated this in Ado Ekiti, stressing that the existing two farm settlements and five farm centers would be bolstered with clustered farming that would be established in several communities across the State.

Boluwade added that the focus is to provide employment and income for school leavers, arrest the wave of rural migration to the towns, increase agricultural productivity, demonstrate modern techniques of farming and solve the land tenure problem which was said to be a constraint on Agricultural development.

Boluwade explained that the Government would partner the private sector in restructuring the scheme to optimize the land through the inclusivity model with legacy farmers and youths, adding that the new arrangement would help farmers scale up their productivity.

The Commissioner assured that the new procedure would also boost security, increase resource availability and strategic resources as well as significantly reduce cost of production.

He said that Government would also ensure that farm owners and
labourers are properly enumerated and profiled with their National
Identity Numbers (NIN) while Geographic Information System (GIS) would, in addition, be deployed to eliminate the risk of harbouring unlawful informants and criminals at the farms.

Boluwade highlighted other interventions of the State Government to include clearing of land without burden for cluster farming free of charge, 50% subsidy on ploughing and harrowing of maximum of five hectares (5Hs) per farmer, facilitation of availability of tractors
for rentage at affordable rates and layering of different strata of
security apparatus to ensure safe and secured farming environment.

Explaining the concept of cluster farming, Boluwade said that it
creates real profit by merging several smallholder farms, noting that the model was conceived to reinforce the existing farm settlements and centers in order to adequately cover the entire State.

His words, “Clearing will be carried out on identified land by
the State Government free of charge. The State is bearing the cost because it is very expensive. Ordinarily, clearing one hectare would cost between 1.5 and 1.6 million Naira, so it is difficult for an
average farmer to do. Government is therefore clearing free of charge
but we don’t want to clear land that people will not use.

“It will be a total waste of money. That is why we ask interested
people to do an expression of interest after identifying unburdened land in their communities. It is totally demand driven and the target is to open up land where people want to farm”.