16th July, 2015
Daniels Ekugo
In line with its commitment to alleviate poverty among smallholder farmers across rural communities in the country, British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation (BATNF) recently supplied agricultural support materials to farmers in Oyo State under the second cycle of BATNF-sponsored cassava enterprise value-chain development project.
Chief Kola Jamodu, BATNF Board Chairman, who was represented by Mrs. Oluwaseyi Ashade, Executive Director, BATNF, at the flag-off ceremony held in Otu Community in Oyo State, said agriculture is significant to poverty eradication and wealth creation.
She said: “There is need to provide necessary requirements for the development of the agricultural sector like trainings, improved agricultural inputs, production capital, storage facilities and access to markets.”
This need, Ashade said, has posed a challenge to governments at all levels, adding that several farming communities in Nigeria are affected by these challenges and this contributes in no small measure to the problem of poverty, hunger and other economic challenges.
Receiving the agricultural materials from the Foundation, Alhaji Muda Balogun, who spoke on behalf of the beneficiaries, expressed his gratitude to the Foundation for coming to the aid of the farmers.
“We like to thank the management of BATN Foundation for coming to our aid, especially at a time when we need to move our farming business to a greater level. As we can see, all the farmers from Otu and Ighoho communities of Oke Ogun are excited because the Foundation has brought succour to us all by making farming simpler, better and more profitable.”
Thomas Omosefe, Head of Leaf, BATNF, while speaking at the event, said all the farmers, as part of the Foundation’s major partners, should leave nothing to chance in ensuring that they (farmers) make the best use of the opportunity.
“As our major partners, we will continue to ensure compliance with best practices that will enable farmers succeed in their operations. Most importantly, we will support your business through periodic trainings, input distribution among others, to pave way for transformation of your business in a way that will impact bottom-line for farming operations,” he said.
The event was the second flag-off of BATN Foundation’s cassava enterprise development projects across Otu, Ogbooro and Igboho in Oke Ogun, Oyo State, to help smallholder farmers easily transform their farming operations from subsistence to commercial level.
Other states that have benefitted from this agricultural intervention include Ebonyi, Niger, Kaduna and Benue states.