OYO CASSAVA GROWERS SEEKS ASSISTANCE FROM F.G

Nigeria Cassava Growers Association’s Farmers
Multi Purpose Co-operative Union (FMCU) in Oyo
State is seeking the assistance of the federal and
state governments to develop the union’s 1,000
hectares cassava farm project.
The project, known as `Cassava Vanguard Farm
Project,’ was officially launched at the Oyo State
Agricultural Development Project’s farmers’ hall in
Oyo town in September.
The Nigeria Cassava Growers Association in Oyo
State presently has 176 co-operative societies, all
dealing with cassava production.
Speaking at the official launch of the project in
Oyo town, Muideen Adekunle, chairman of the
association, said the union planned to spend a
total of N194.5 million on the project, stating that
the cassava plantation was located in Komu
village, Itesiwaju Local Government Area of the
state, while three garri processing mills were to
be in three other locations.
The project, he pointed out, was meant to
revolutionise cassava production in the state,
stressing “it will also complement Federal
Government’s initiative on cassava under the
Agricultural Transformation Agenda.’’
According to him, the farm would be a cassava
stem variety multiplication centre where different
varieties of stem of the crop would be produced
and multiplied, as part of the project included
three local garri processing centres to be located
at Atiba, Abidogun – Okaka and Biiro
communities.
Adekunle said the cassava growers’ farmers’ co-
operative union was presented with a certificate
of registration by the state ministry of commerce
and co-operative in December 2010, adding “it is
our financial contributions as co-operative
farmers that we used in acquiring land for the
Komu cassava plantation.”
He appealed to the state government to assist the
union with tractors as it did for local government
councils, suggesting the signing of a
memorandum of understanding between the
government and the union, for the latter to be
given a special loan through the agricultural credit
corporation to fulfil 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,” he
said.
While assuring the Federal Government of its
readiness to partner it in making the cassava
transformation agenda a huge success in the
state, he said “we have more than enough land
here for cassava production.’’