Ekiti To Spend N1.3Billion On Agriculture And Rural Development

Ekiti State Government has set aside a sum of N1, 291,616,856.48 for its various Agriculture and Rural Development activities in 2013.
The Permanent Secretary of the State Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Mr. Folorunso made this known in Ado Ekiti while presenting
the detailed analysis of the State 2013 budget.

Mr. Folorunso who noted that the Ekiti State is endowed with arable land and blessed with favourable climatic conditions suitable for
profitable agricultural activities, said that the state government recognised the Agricultural sector as an important component in the
state economy.
According to him, the Fayemi led administration is fully committed to supporting and sustaining conditions for farming that would guarantee
effective cultivation, harvesting and processing of agro produce.

Folorunso added that government’s support surpassed the physical conditions of farming, emphasising that it included technological support capacity building, financing and creationg an enabling economic and social environment for agric-businesses to thrive.
Giving a breakdown of the budget for the sector, the Permanent Secretary disclosed that a sum of N750, 000,000.00 has been set aside
for the establishment of the Ekiti State School of Agriculture while the Land Bank Development project will gulp N396, 000,850.42.
He said YCAD Field operation/Support Service will consume N477,399,552.27; Produce Activities, N5, 500,000.00 and Tree Crop Programmes, N34,325,840.00 even as Livestock will take up N10,500,000.00; Fisheries, N2,000,000.00 and Veterinary, N16,760,000.00.

Other projects catered for in the 2013 budget according to Mr. Folorunso are the Agricultural Development Programmes with N351,900,000.00; the Establishment of Farm Settlements and Farmers Development Agency, N145, 950,000.00 and the Ekiti State Marketing Development Board, N30,000,000.00.

Last modified: February 7, 2013