The Ogun State Government has intensified efforts to reduce post-harvest losses and boost farmer incomes by urging agricultural stakeholders to fully utilise state-supported infrastructure.

Speaking at the “Ogun Agricultural Infrastructure Sustainability” forum in Ibara, Abeokuta, Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Bolu Owotomo, described the engagement as a critical step in maximising government investments and strengthening the state’s agricultural value chain.

Owotomo highlighted that under the Ogun State Economic Transformation Project (OGSTEP), over 160,000 farmers have been registered through the State Farmers Information Management System (OGFIMS), enabling structured financial access, improved farm management, and increased production capacity.

The Commissioner noted that government interventions have benefited more than 35,000 cassava and maize farmers, over 4,000 fish farmers, and more than 1,000 poultry farmers, while over 40,000 farmers received targeted capacity-building programs across cassava, rice, aquaculture, and poultry value chains. Farmers were organised into clusters to promote economies of scale, collaboration, and market access.

Citing nationwide post-harvest losses of up to 40 percent, Owotomo launched “Operation Overdrive”, an initiative aimed at reducing waste and increasing productivity. The programme has delivered five fish processing centres, a 140,000-capacity broiler facility, a 5,000-birds-per-day poultry processing plant powered by a 1MW solar grid, solar dryers, warehouses, and cassava processing centres.

He emphasised that infrastructure alone is insufficient, stressing the need for effective management, sustainability frameworks, and strong stakeholder collaboration to guarantee long-term food security and improved farmer livelihoods.

Owotomo also commended Governor Dapo Abiodun for his visionary leadership, noting that practical strategies developed at the forum would ensure sustainable returns on the state’s agricultural investments.

Other speakers, including Mrs. Oluyemisi Folarin of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Leke Otegbeye, Special Adviser on Agriculture, and Oluseyi Olugbire, Programme Manager of OGSTEP, reinforced the importance of inter-ministerial collaboration and private-sector engagement in consolidating Ogun State’s position as a leading agricultural hub.

Alhaja Ganiyat Adeoye-Kusimo, State Chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), lauded the government’s interventions, noting that they were transforming food production, improving livelihoods, and enhancing the economic prosperity of farmers across the state.

The forum underscores Ogun State’s commitment to a value-driven agricultural ecosystem, combining production efficiency, processing capacity, and sustainable practices to ensure long-term food security and economic growth.