Best farmer in Ekiti State every year is to get a car gift and a National Award as reward for hardwork and encouragement for farm work.
Ekiti State Governor, Dr Ayodele Fayose stated this at the yearly Farmers’ Congress held in Ado-Ekiti.
The governor who noted that a thorough investigation will be carried out to identify the best farmer, assured that better days are ahead for farmers in the state.
He noted that as part of his determination to give priority to farmers in the state, he will be meeting with majority of the farmers once in two months to explore possible areas of support for the farmers.
The governor who reteirated that the State was badly indebted coupled with the economy of the nation that is nosediving, it may take some time for him to carry out his programme fully in the Agric sector.
As part of his programme for Agric, the Governor disclosed his plan to embark on massive cultivation of cocoa and tree planting, saying a committee to be chaired by former deputy governor and veteran farmer, chief Paul Alabi will be constituted.
The State helmsman expressed his readiness to facilitate micro credit loans for the farmers with a warning that beneficiaries must be ready to pay back.
Earlier, the President elect of the Ekiti State Farmers’ Congress, Chief Sola Balogun congratulated the governor for his victory at the polls, saying the support of the governor for the farmers during his first term as governor was unprecedented.
He pleaded with the Governor to come to the aid of the farmers in various aspects of needs, topmost of which is the provision of Farmer’s House.
He pledged the support of the farmers for the present administration, saying farmers were ready to embark on massive provision of food in line with the Governor’s stomach infrastructure concept.
Various farm produce were on display at the congress while a new Executive members had earlier been elected to pilot the affairs of farmers in the State.