Chairman, Nigeria Cassava Growers
Association’s Farmers Multipurpose Cooperative Union (FMCU) in Oyo State, Mr
Muideen Adekunle, has appealed for federal and state governments’ assistance to
develop the union’s 1,000 hectares cassava farm project.
Adekunle, who spoke at the official launching
of the project at Oyo town said the cassava plantation was located Komu
village, in Itesiwaju local government area of Oyo while three garri processing
mills were to be in three other locations.
He said the union planned to spend a total of
N194.5 million on the project known as Cassava Vanguard Farm Project.
The chairman said it was meant to
revolutionise cassava production in the state.
“It will also complement Federal Government’s
initiative on cassava transformation agenda in the country,” Adekunle said.
He said the farm would be a cassava stem
variety multiplication centre where different varieties of stem of the crop
would be produced and multiplied.
Adekunle said the three local garri
processing centres would be located at Atiba, Abidogun – Okaka and Biiro
communities.
He recalled that the cassava growers’
farmers’ cooperative union was presented with certificate of registration by
the state ministry of commerce and cooperative in December 2010.
“Presently, the Nigeria Cassava Growers
Association’s FMCU has 176 cooperative societies under its umbrella in Oyo
State all dealing with cassava production.
”It is our financial contributions as
cooperative farmers that we used in acquiring land for the Komu cassava plantation,”
Adekunle said.
He appealed to the state government to assist
the union with tractors as it did for local government councils.
Adekunle asked the government for a
memorandum of understanding with the union for the latter to be given special
loan through the Oyo State Agricultural Credit Corporation for developing fully
the Komu project.
“We appeal to the state government to give us
full support on the Cassava Vanguard Farm Project especially with funds and
tractors.
”We also assure the federal government of our
readiness to partner with it in making the cassava transformation agenda a huge
success in the state.
”This is because among other things, we have
more than enough land here for cassava production here,” he said.
Adekunle expressed gratitude to the chairman
of Itesiwaju local government caretaker committee, Mr. Adisa Adeniji, for
grading the road to the farm and giving the FMCU three tractors on long term
loan to work there.
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