Ekiti, Dutch sign MoU on N3.5bn agric project
- Ekiti State Government on Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding with a Dutch investment group, Villam Agric Ltd., on N3.5bn agric project.
Ekiti State Government on Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding with a Dutch investment group, Villam Agric Ltd., on N3.5bn agric project.
Fayemi restated his administration’s resolve to use the agriculture sector as a platform for the diversification of the state economy.
He also stressed the need for the state to convert its knowledge capacity to agricultural technology and achieve higher productivity and yield as well as reduction in post-harvest losses which the state had suffered for years.
The governor, who spoke in Ado Ekiti while signing the MOU, said, “For us, it’s time to convert our knowledge capacity to agric technology, higher productivity and yield and reduction in post-harvest losses that we have suffered for years. And this is the time to do it as Nigeria confronts the challenges of the implications of COVID-19 on our oil where the price of our oil is going down.”
Earlier, the Managing Director of Villam Agric Ltd., Rene Haveman, stressed the importance of providing food for the people especially during crisis like the coronavirus crisis the world was facing.
Haveman said large storage facility available in the state should not be left idle again, but should be made to benefit both the investor and the state.
He urged farmers in the state to increase their production during this planting season as he planned to ensure market conformity prices as his organisation would buy directly from farmers at attractive prices.
Haveman also said that his organisation would upgrade the silos and by November set up a maize processing plant in the state.
