A member of the House of Representatives from Iseyin/Itesiwaju/Kajola/Iwajowa Federal Constituency, Oyo State, Hon. Shina Peller, on Friday 15th January 2021 empowered thousands of farmers in the constituency with mechanized farming equipment worth millions of naira.
Commendably, about one thousand, five hundred farmers drawn from all the 42 wards that make up the four local governments in the constituency benefited from equipment such as electronic knapsack sprayers, motorized seed planters, motorized fertilizer applicators, harvesting machines, farm grass cutters and weeding machines.
Speaking during the event, Hon. Shina Peller explained that the rationale behind the empowerment was his assessment of the negative impact of COVID-19 on the global economy, particularly Nigeria, as well as the need to diversify the country’s economy from a mono economy to a sustainable agricultural economy.
In addition, Hon. Peller stated that Oke Ogun, being an agrarian region with great agricultural potentials, has what it takes to contribute immensely to the economy growth of Oyo State and Nigeria as a whole, but that lack of modern-day farm equipment has been a major setback for the farmers in the region.
He said,
“Oke-Ogun is an agrarian region with great agricultural potentials that can help contribute immensely to the economic growth of not only Oke Ogun and Oyo State, but Nigeria at large.
“To achieve economic growth through farming, agricultural mechanization is very crucial, as it helps tasks in farm production to be completed very timely and enables greater areas to be farmed to produce greater quantities of crops or farm produce as the case may be. However, my finding shows that our farmers, particularly in our constituency, lack necessary agricultural equipment required of this century.”
In the same vein, the federal legislator stated confidently that the mechanized farming equipment being given out will enhance land productivity, facilitate timeliness and quality of cultivation, as well as reduce the burden of labour shortages in farming business. He added that this will in turn aid food security, alleviate poverty and enhance wealth creation in the constituency.
“I believe that after this empowerment, our farmers will begin to perform better and with less energy to attract greater results,” Hon. Peller concluded.
Some of the beneficiaries of the empowerment programme expressed their profound appreciation to Hon. Peller for providing them with modern-day agricultural tools necessary for the upliftment of their farming businesses.
The event tagged *Shina Peller Agricultural Technology Empowerment (SPATE) 2021 with the theme: Boosting Oke Ogun Economy through Mechanized Farming* witnessed the presence of Oyo State Coordinator, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr. Ogunwale Joseph Adeniyi and other prominent personalities like Hon. Akin Alabi, a member of the House of Representatives representing Egbeda/Ona-Ara federal constituency, Alhaji Raji Isa, Chairman, Oke Ogun Farmers’ Association, leaders and representatives from various Farmers’ associations like All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) and others.
Speaking to journalists at the event, Hon. Akin Alabi described Hon. Peller as a friend, colleague and brother whose commitment to the development and economic growth of his constituency and Oke Ogun remains commendable. He added that it is not surprising to him that Hon. Peller is putting up agricultural technology empowerment and many other life-changing programmes for his constituents because that is what he has always been known for even long before being elected as a member of the House of Representatives.
Also present at the occasion were some of the traditional rulers in the constituency like the Aseyin of Iseyin, HRM Oba (Dr). Abd-Ganiy Adekunle Salau, Ajinese 1, the Onjo of Okeho, HRM Oba Rafiu Mustapha, Amuni of Ijio, Oba Oyewobi, Bajigan of Ilaji Ile, Oba Lawal, Eleyinpo of Ipapo, Oba Abdulyekeen Ademola Abioye, Oniro of Otu, Corps members serving at Technical College, Iseyin and others.
