Edo Government said it would cultivate 51.8 hectares of Oil Palm in Uronigbe, Orhionmwon Local Government Area of the state under the Phase 1 of the State Oil Palm Programme (ESOPP).
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security, Prince Joe Okojie, disclosed this in Benin on Thursday, during a one-day sensitisation seminar for Oil Palm Farmers in the state.
Okojie said the total investment for the first phase of the programme was N91.3 billion with CBN providing N68.8 billion, while farmers would contribute N22.5 billion.
He said the state government was currently in talks with Partnership for Forests to support the financing for farmers.
He said the implementation committee for the programme would be set up in a week’s time to kick-start land allocation to investors.
Okojie said that 120,000 hectares of land had been acquired for the programme in four LGAs namely Orhionmwon, Uhunmwode, Ovia North East and Ovia South West.
He said farmers would be paired with investors in a ratio of 30 per cent small and medium scale farmers to 70 per cent Oil Palm investors.
“It will be a cluster type of farming as investors will get from between 5,000 to 10,000 hectares each; the investor will get 70 per cent of the land and allocate 30 per cent to small and medium-scale farmers.
“The investors must include corporate social responsibility for the host community in their production plan before they will participate in the programme,” he said.
Also, Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Hon. Richard Edebiri said the ESOPP was geared toward revamping the Oil Palm industry in the state.
He said the programme comprises capacity building, collaboration in the area of research, processing, among others.
Dr Solomon Olusegun, the Director of Research and Head of Extension Services, NIFOR, said the state had the big players in the oil palm industry.
“It is a laudable thing for the state government to revive its oil palm sector.
“It will help take over our deforested land and create wealth for small scale farmers, Olusegun said.
One of the farmers at the seminar, Apostle Steve Oronsaye, appreciated the state government for giving special interest to oil palm production, saying farmers saw the initiative as a step in the right direction.
He, however, suggested that already existing oil palm farmers should be selected to participate in the programme.
NAN
