Ogun State Agricultural Development Programme (OGADEP), has trained public servants on ways to cultivate various crops in their backyards, to ensure abundant food supply and increased income.

The Acting Programme Manager, OGADEP, Mrs. Victoria Shobande, while speaking during the training at Idi-Aba, Abeokuta, said Nigerians needed to show interest in farming in order to combat hunger and malnutrition.

Mrs. Shobande added that, agriculture, being the only business public servants could venture into, is open to everyone irrespective of profession, occupation, gender or race, advising everyone to take advantage of available space in their premises to practice backyard farming, to cater for family nutritional needs and income generation.

“OGADEP is known for training and capacity building for interested farmers in any agricultural enterprise. We have capable officers who can train people in this regard. This is part of our efforts to encourage farming towards boosting food production and get better income”, she said.

She expressed optimism that public servants would utilise the knowledge gained in cultivating different crops, assuring that it would be a continual exercise.

Contributing, Head, Agro-Forestry and Land Management Component, Mr. Emmanuel Ojo, who trained officers on the economic importance of Orange Fleshed Sweet Potato (OFSP), said potato is rich in Vitamin A and could be planted in any type of soil all year round, provided there is water, noting that consumption of potato tubers or its leaves is beneficial to the body, as its content could also serve as antidote against stomach disorder and boost eyesight.

Also speaking, the Head, Crops Production Unit and Deputy Director, Technical Services Department, Dr. (Mrs.) Modupe Abidemi, explained that yam seed could be grown in sacks where there is shortage of soil, harvested after six months, and sold to other farmers for planting, urging participants to plant tubers that had overcome dormancy due to the capacity to sprout, and ensure planting around May or June for rapid multiplication.

One of the participants, Engr. Oluwatoyin Odejobi lauded the initiative and advised others to step down the training, imploring OGADEP to extend the training to other agencies of government to enable other Civil Servants benefit from it.  

High point of the training was the presentation of vine and yam seedlings to participants.