In a collective effort to transform the agricultural landscape of Ogun State through agro-industrialization, increased productivity, job creation, and the reduction of rural poverty, the Ogun State Government, under the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) programme, has officially inaugurated a Multi-Stakeholder Agribusiness Forum (MAF).
The forum is designed to strengthen private-sector participation across the agricultural value chain, enhance the sustainability of agribusiness operations, and foster an enabling policy environment for agribusiness growth in the state.
The Honourable Commissioner for Agriculture, Hon. Bolu Owotomo, disclosed this during a two-day high-level engagement on the establishment of the forum. He explained that the MAF will ensure that SAPZ interventions deliver tangible benefits to farmers, especially youths and women.
Hon. Owotomo reiterated Governor Dapo Abiodun’s commitment to agricultural transformation, food security, rural poverty reduction, and job creation.
The National Programme Coordinator, Dr. Yusuf Kabir, represented by the National Rural Institution and Development Expert, Mr. Abel Ameh noted that the establishment of the MAF is intended to provide a structured platform for dialogue, coordination, and collaboration among key value chain actors from smallholder farmers to large processors, service providers, financiers, policymakers, and research institutions.
According to him, the mechanism is aimed at strengthening value-chain linkages, fostering joint problem-solving, and ensuring that interventions within the SAPZ ecosystem remain aligned with the needs and aspirations of all stakeholders.
> “This forum will serve as a catalyst for inclusive growth, promoting shared ownership, transparency, and accountability in the implementation of SAPZ activities. It will also bridge the information gap between producers and markets, facilitate policy coherence, and accelerate the adoption of innovations that can make agribusiness in Ogun State more competitive and resilient,” Kabiru said.
The State Programme Coordinator, Mrs. Kehinde Jokotoye, highlighted that the SAPZ programme is strategically positioned to harness the state’s comparative advantage in agricultural resources including rice, cassava, oil palm, timber, and cocoa, to attract both local and foreign investment into value-addition, processing, and market linkages.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Forestry and facilitator of the MAF, Dr. Oyesanwen Adekunle, said the forum was established to bring all stakeholders together to ensure the initiative achieves its purpose, expressing confidence that the inauguration of the MAF will accelerate progress in the sector.
Contributing to the discussion, the House Committee Chairman on Agriculture, Hon. Waliu Owode, reaffirmed the government’s efforts to supporting farmers through various intervention programmes.
The Deputy Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Agro-Rangers Unit, Ogun State Command, Abdulraheem Waheed, explained that the specialized unit was created by the Federal Government to resolve farmer–herder conflicts and ensure a safe environment for agricultural activities—thereby contributing to food security.
In his remarks, the newly inducted Chairman of the MAF, Mr. Olutayo Olushola, appreciated the government for its support, describing the forum as a significant collaboration between the public and private sectors, pledging his commitment to ensuring that farmers receive maximum benefits across the value chain.
Recall that the Special Agro Industrial Processing Zones is an initiative of the federal government in collaboration with the International Fund For Agricultural Development Bank (IFAD) and the Ogun State Government.
