14th March, 2020
By Isa Isawade
Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti has explained how he plans to make the southwestern state, known for its agricultural occupation, the food basket of the nation.
The governor claimed Ekiti had the capacity to feed the Southwest geopolitical zone and the country when her agricultural potentials were fully harnessed with the activation of all his administration’s plans.
In order to achieve this, the governor announced his determination to construct 1,000 km rural roads from farms to markets across the state.
He noted that Ekiti had not realised her full potentials as an agrarian state owing to absence of such infrastructure and other necessary supports for the predominantly peasant farmers in the state.
Fayemi stated this at a stakeholders’ sensitization meeting on Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), in Ado-Ekiti on Friday.
To make provision of the 1,000 km rural road construction a reality, the governor, according to a press release signed by the Chief Press Secretary Olayinka Oyebode, has partnered the International Development Association (IDA); the World Bank, and French Development Agency for construction and rehabilitation of major rural roads and river crossing in the state.
He added that the Development Partners would also assist the state in establishing and rehabilitating agro-logistics hubs and institutional development in the state.
The governor said the rural roads would not only connect farms to cities but would further enhance availability of abundant farm produce in markets across the state.
Fayemi said the project would be carried out in phases.