Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has inaugurated Africa’s first agricultural electronic centre, an innovation provided by Farm Konnect Agribusiness Nigeria Plc in Ibadan.
A lot of dignitaries in and outside the state were in attendance at the epoch event, which took place at the Basorun area of Ibadan. Amongst the dignitaries include the Oyo State Chief of Staff, Chief Bisi Ilaka, the Director-General Oyo State Agribusiness Development Agency, Dr Debo Akande, Ekiti State Commissioner for Agriculture, and his Osun State counterpart, the representatives of the federal government, bank officials, investors and others.
Speaking at the event, Governor Makinde commended FarmKonnect for bringing such an innovation that will change the face of agriculture in the country and Africa as a whole to Oyo State.
Makinde, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Chief Bisi Ilaka noted that the state government is working tirelessly to revive the agric sector, having a strong belief that when fully harnessed and utilised can spike up the state economy and also provide employment opportunities to the youths in the state.
“We are supposed to be the pacesetter state, we are supposed to be home of new ideas, we expect our space can be dynamic, innovative, we want new ideas that can flourish in the state.
“We hope a lot of people can emulate, replicate and build on this wonderful initiative. Things don’t happen accidentally, this is happening because of the kind of leadership we have in the State.
“This is going to be the beginning if similar things emerge in the pacesetter state, we are opening up the agric space, we are redefining the space. This is where the redefinition will happen in the south-west of the country.
“If we do the same thing the way we have done in the past, we will continue to get the same result, so if we want to get a different result, we have to do it differently, and that’s what we want to do in Oyo State,” Makinde stressed.
Earlier, the FarmKonnect Chief Executive Officer, Mr Azeez Oluwole disclosed that the newly launch agriculture electronic hub has two components, FarmKonnect Agricultural Electronic Extension Service Centre (FAgEX) and FarmKonnect Institute for Data and Agribusiness Studies (FIDAS).
He says both have the specific goal to provide input services to stakeholders in the agricultural value chains through information technology, training, research and business/professional consulting.
