Ondo Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has flagged off distribution of Federal Government palliatives to farmers in the State.
The 40 trailers of grains are to be distributed to livestock farmers across the 18 local government areas of the State.
Aiyedatiwa said the measures was to address escalating food prices in the country.
The Governor said a committee on agriculture and food security tasked with taking immediate action in response to rising food process has been set up.
He stated that his administration has embarked on projects aimed at improving market access through construction of rural roads and empowerment of smallholder farmers, through training, capacity building including access to credit.
Aiyedatiwa said agriculture has contributed to the state’s economy, saying the state supplied 75 percent of tomatoes to markets in Lagos State.
He thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for approving distribution of grains and other commodities across the country.
Ondo APC governorship: Aiyedatiwa, Jimoh Ibrahim, Akinterinwa, Oke, others intensify consultations
Ondo governorship: Diaspora community prefers Aiyedatiwa, APC chief reveals
Aiyedatiwa reappoints seven Akeredolu’s Commissioners
According to him: “Today’s programme is the first among the activities and initiatives lined up to make our state zero tolerant to food insecurity accompanied by massive modern agricultural interventions needed to catapult us to an enviable position in the comity of States.
“The effects of painful but necessary subsidy removal on petrol had compounded the food security situation in Ondo State and indeed Nigeria. Rising inflation on food items and others have made life somewhat unbearable to the people.
“As a government, we must check this ugly trend and make sure that food is not just available, but affordable to the generality of the people”.
Chairman, Committee on Agriculture and Food Security Wemimo Akinsola, Chairman, urged farmers who received the palliatives to utilize them effectively, thereby contributing to lower prices.
He said the committee remained dedicated to realizing the governor’s agricultural initiatives.
