Food Security: Oyo Trains 880 Farmers, Officers On Climate, Smart Agriculture

Oyo State government has commenced the training of 880 farmers and agricultural extension officers drawn from the various geopolitical zones of the state on climate-smart agriculture.

The government said the training was part of the efforts to boost food production, enhance resilience to climate change and reduce post-harvest losses.

It added that the training was being implemented under the 2025 Business Enabling Reform Action Plan (BERAP), through the State Action on Business Enabling Reforms (SABER) programme, which seeks to improve the ease of doing business and create more business opportunities in the state.

The commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Barr. Olasunkanmi Olaleye, who opened the training, described Climate-Smart Agriculture as critical to the future of food production, the economy and society, particularly in the face of climate change, soil degradation, unpredictable weather patterns and a growing population.

The commissioner said with the global population projected to approach 10 billion by 2050, there was an urgent need to produce more food with fewer resources.

He stressed that traditional farming methods alone might not be sufficient to meet the increasing demand for food.

According to him, Climate-Smart Agriculture involves the application of modern technologies, innovation and scientific knowledge to improve farming efficiency, productivity and sustainability while protecting the environment.

In his remarks, the SABER focal person, Mr. Kilanko Olayemi, who was represented by Mr Roland Adekunle, said the project would train 880 participants across the geopolitical zones in the state.

He noted that the initiative was designed to reduce post-harvest losses in the agricultural sector.

On behalf of the president of the All-Farmers’ Association of Nigeria (AFAN), its zonal coordinator in Oyo, Mr Debo Fakayode, lauded the state government under the leadership of Governor Seyi Makinde for its commitment to building a vibrant and sustainable agricultural ecosystem in the state.