Edo to Launch Cluster Farms to Boost Oil Palm Devt

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City

The Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has announced his administration’s plan to launch the state’s Oil Palm Development and other Cluster Farm Initiative, as part of the ongoing reforms in the agricultural sector that is meant to grow the state’s economy and achieve food security.

Obaseki, who stated this in Benin City, said that his administration is committed to stimulating economic prosperity and improving ease of doing business in order to continuously attract private capital to engender sustainable development.

He further said that the state government would sustain ongoing reforms and programmes across all sectors of the state in 2022 to rebuild the engine of government, create economic opportunities for all citizens, and harness the potential of Edo’s culture and the creativity of its people.

He said: “Motivated by the progress recorded with the Edo State Oil Palm Programme (ESOPP), we will be launching the Oil Palm Development Initiative and Cluster Farm Initiative, in furtherance of our aim of anchoring our economic growth on commercial agriculture while sustaining food security.”

He noted that Edo State has the largest oil palm plantation under cultivation in the country with the cultivation of 120,000 hectares, adding that “we have put under cultivation up to 250,000 hectares of land for oil palm under our ESOPP programme.”

Today, we are approaching about 120,000 hectares. We have about 70,000 and now about 45,000 hectares at the Orhionmwon-axis.

“The 2022 Appropriation Bill, which has now been signed into law is centred on reinforcing a sense of belonging in the citizenry and providing them with the opportunity to understand, participate and contribute to deepening governance.

“We are providing our people with an oasis of hope even with the harsh realities that confront us as a sub-national in a country that is confronted by a number of developmental challenges.”