COOPERATION ASKS FOR FG's HELP REGARDING CASSAVA PROJECT

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.