The Oyo State Government has unveiled its plans to engage 700 youths in its agribusiness and farmer support programmes in 2026.

The government noted that this is part of efforts to address unemployment and reduce irregular migration.

The Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr Olasunkanmi Olaleye, disclosed this in Ibadan while outlining the state’s agricultural interventions for the year.

Olaleye said the youth-focused programme was being implemented in partnership with Denmark and the European Union through the International Centre for Migration Policy Development.

He noted that it would support returning migrants and young people from host communities with farmland, inputs, stipends and market access.

“The primary idea of the project is to discourage irregular migration.

“Some of the youth will be returning migrants, while others will be selected from communities around where the project will be located.

“Beneficiaries will be allocated land, supported with inputs and stipends, and market assets will be created to support their production,” Olaleye said.

According to him, the project will be located in the Oke-Ogun zone area of the state and is designed to provide sustainable livelihoods that discourage irregular migration.

He said the initiative forms part of broader efforts by the state to expand agribusiness, increase food production and strengthen farmer capacity across the state.

Olaleye said Governor Seyi Makinde had directed that farmers should not be pressured over loan repayments.

“Timelines have been extended to encourage increased participation in farming during the current season,” he said.

He stated that the state supported cultivation on about 32,000 acres of farmland under its mechanisation programme, including 10,000 acres for maize production.

He said improved output has led to the movement of more than 34,000 tonnes of cassava out of the state through the Ibarapa axis by December, 2025.

Olaleye attributed the growth to the distribution of about 65,000 bundles of cassava stems between 2024 and 2025, adding that further support had been mapped out in 2026 to stabilise food prices.

He disclosed that the state was developing the Oyo State Agricultural Information Management System.

The commissioner said it would feature a virtual market to link farmers directly with buyers and eliminate middlemen.

“The platform will also capture data on farm locations, crops and support needs to guide government intervention and it is expected to be operational before mid-year.

“A farmer will be able to upload the location of his farm, what he is planting and the kind of support he needs from us,” Olaleye said.

He said that more than 24,000 farmers were trained through soil testing and capacity-building programmes in 2025, while more than 8,000 had been trained across 48 communities as of January 2026.

He stressed that the programme, implemented in partnership with OCP Fertiliser, would be extended to 100 additional communities through the state’s extension officers.

The commissioner added that over 12,000 bags of fertiliser were distributed to farmers in 2024/2025.

“Also, over 9,000 bags were distributed the previous year, with beneficiaries paying 50 per cent of the cost.

“Technology has also been deployed in tractor hiring services through the Hello Tractor application, enabling real-time monitoring of farm operations,” he said.

According to him, agribusiness hubs such as Fasola, SMPZ Ijaye and Eruwa are being strengthened to integrate smallholder and medium-scale farmers into supply chains for agro-processing companies.

Olaleye said the overall goal was to use agriculture as a tool for job creation, food security and youth retention, while addressing the economic drivers of irregular migration. (Nigerian Tribune)