The Osun government, on Monday, confirmed that there were no functional tractors for farming operations in the state.
The state Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Mr Adedayo Adewole, made this known during the budget defence of his ministry before the House of Assembly Joint Committee on Appropriation, Finance and Agriculture.
The commissioner, who was answering questions from the state lawmakers about the functions of his ministry and availability of tractors and bulldozers for farming operations, said the last time the state procured a tractor was in 2004.
On job creation for youths, Adewole said his ministry intended to create jobs through the agriculture value chain, adding that government had acquired 10,000 hectares of land for farming, adding, however, that about N2.4 billion would be required to clear it.
He said Governor Gboyega Oyetola had also approved the planting of 100,000 cocoa seedlings, which, he said, had been sold to cocoa farmers in the state at the rate of N50 per seedling.
He added that his ministry generated N96.2 million between January and August into the state’s purse, adding that there were still to generate more if it had more revenue.
Mr Oyewole Adebayo, the General Manager, Osun State Agriculture Development Corporation (OSSADEC), also told the lawmakers that the state government bought eight tractors in 2004, with only two partially working now.
Adebayo chipped that, three bulldozers were procured by government in 2008, with only two partially working at the moment.
