Ekiti Records Agricultural Breakthrough, Targets ₦6bn Produce Sales in 2025.

Ekiti Records Agricultural Breakthrough, Targets ₦6bn Produce Sales in 2025.                      By Olamide Akinwumi.

Ekiti State is fast establishing itself as a national pacesetter in modern agriculture, with the administration of Governor Biodun Oyebanji rolling out initiatives aimed at boosting productivity, empowering youths, and strengthening value-chain development.

Ekiti State Honourable Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Mr. Ebenezer Boluwade

The Honourable Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Mr. Ebenezer Boluwade, disclosed this during a media briefing on Tuesday, August 12, 2025, where he highlighted landmark achievements in the sector.

Boluwade noted that the Ilu Eye Aggregation Hub and the Ounje Ekiti Retail Outlet were designed to address post-harvest losses, ensure fair prices for farmers, and stabilise food costs for residents.

“Every harvest season, farmers lose income due to rot and spoilage because they can’t sell quickly enough. The hub now provides safe storage and a steady market for crops such as rice paddy, beans, maize, and garri,” he explained.

The retail outlet, he added, helps control price volatility by selling food below market rates, ensuring affordability all year round. By sourcing directly from farmers and selling to households, the initiative cuts out middlemen, keeping more money within local communities.

The commissioner revealed that the state currently operates 115 farm clusters—the first of its kind in Nigeria—offering farmers incentives such as a 50% subsidy on seedlings and agrochemicals. Recently, over 4,000 improved cocoa seedlings were distributed to promote crop diversification and boost export potential.

Youth participation in agriculture has surged under the Bring Back Youth to Agriculture Project, increasing from less than 1,000 registered young farmers in 2024 to almost 5,000 this year. The state has allocated nearly 3,000 hectares across 13 clusters to youth-led farming through its partnership with YSJ Farms.

Despite a late start and climate challenges in 2024, the clusters generated over ₦200 million in sales. For 2025, the state is targeting ₦6 billion in produce transactions. To support this growth, fully equipped dormitories are being built in farming zones to accommodate young farmers.

In addition, the state’s poultry empowerment scheme has seen over 150,000 birds raised and sold by trained youths, with proceeds going directly to them. The project, which began in Ilupeju and Erifun, has now expanded to three more locations, with a target of 5,000 youths in poultry farming by 2026.

Looking ahead, the Oyebanji administration is partnering with the African Development Bank (AfDB) to establish Agricultural Transformation Centres, integrating research, seedling production, and value-addition facilities to support farmers from planting to market.

Boluwade stressed that the government’s focus is on productivity, not publicity.

“Every cluster activated, every youth empowered, and every harvest sold is proof that agriculture can go beyond subsistence to become the engine of prosperity in Ekiti,” he said.