OSAEC INTRODUCES SMART FARMING SCHEME IN ONDO AS TOOL FOR GENERATING WEALTH, EMPLOYMENT
The leadership of the Ondo State Agricultural Empowerment Centre (OSAEC) under Rotimi Wemimo Akinsola has introduced Smart farming in Ondo State, saying Climate-Smart Agribusiness Empowerment Scheme will soon be launched by the State Government.
Several states of the federation have rolled out SMART and Climate-Smart farming initiatives, a programs that focus on food security, modern agricultural techniques, and youth empowerment.
The Agency’s Chairman said the Smart farming initiative is an unprecedented innovation farm project intended for raising smart youth farmers, spreading across the LGAs of the state, aimed at generating sustainable wealth and employment.
He said the scheme will bring inclusive agricultural development, also a way of moving farmers from subsistence to commercial production, mostly the youth.
” The initiative is expected to provide farmers with access to improved seeds, modern farming tools, technical knowledge, and market linkages, directly enhancing food security and boosting incomes at the grassroots level”.
Wemimo noted that, adopting precision technologies and climate-smart practices is essential for overcoming low yields and unpredictable rainfall among Nigerian agricultural production handled by smallholder farmers.
He added that, climate-smart farming practices, including waste-to-value systems where substrate are formed from farm wastes such as wood shavings , coconut back powder( cocopeat) , wood saw dust etc. In this category has like of Black Soldier Fly larvae for sustainable animal feed are what all refers to as smart agribusiness.
“OSAEC currently house a smart system facility that remotely control the supply of water to the farm sections, the Greenhouse housing the Hydroponics section, and Organoponics with Napal Trough section. The PVC trough section , Outdoor Vegetable farm with Sprinkler and the Drip tape irrigated Onions Farms .All of which are remotely controlled over the internet”.
” The greenhouse has layers of model farms namely : Hydroponic with liquid nutrients only(Soiless farm) Organoponics with substrates in PVC trough (soiless ). and Organoponiics (substrate)in Napal trough and organopoic (Soil in grow bag ). sections respectively”.
“Similar to the greenhouse farm are two other Rainfed field/ outdoor farm sections which are also attached to the remove auto control of the smart game setup these are the Sprinkler irrigated farm and the Drip Tape irrigated farm sections”.
“In the last decades the abbreviation came into lime light in Nigeria as IoT ( Internet of Things) simply refers to a network of internet-connected sensors, devices, and automated machinery that collect, transmit, and act on farm data”.
He explained that, an IoT systems on its own is a device by which farmer is controlling or monitoring his or her farms water and moisture level and make it supply needed water or nutrients needed in real time.
” It allows farmers to monitor crops, livestock, and equipment in real-time, automating decisions to boost productivity and reduce waste”.
He further said, livestock feed called fodder such as napia, bavaria , alfalfa, corn and wheat among others are microgreens grown in greenhouse.
“These fooder has high returns on investment for farmers . This is the best way of feeding ranched cattles and goats in development countries but now in Ondo state which we are set to grow in commercial scale.sold fresh within weeks or dehydrated and preserved”.
According to the Chairman, Ondo state government through her Agribusiness and Empowerment agency (OSAEC ) is planning the second phase of its agenda to domesticate soilless ; hydroponic system with smart farming practices among our teeming youths through establishing greenhouses that will house hydroponics and vertical farms”.
“This is aimed at making crop production more attractive and lucrative for farmers with precision agribusiness investment irrespective of the size of land available”.
“To sustain the intent require training and retraining of farmers using TtT model to include our school teenagers while the market linkage and supply chain identify to offtake their produce is already insatiable demand for quality fresh veggies”.
These are leafy, fruity and rubber vegetables which maturing within short weeks after planting .These include habaneros peeper, Tomatoes, Bell pepper ,onions , cucumber, radish, pumpkin. Others in their category include food spices like cilantro ,cumin, fennel , garden egg,,lettuce , Cabbage ,celery ,berry etc.
” Smart farming utilizes IoT sensors, drones, and AI data analytics to optimize crop and livestock yields. By minimizing water, fertilizer, and pesticide usage, this approach builds resilient agribusinesses suited for Nigeria’s evolving climate”.
” Green houses are built with aluminum or wooden frames with covers that allow light and air to reach the crops, except rain .It’s rather built with galvanized , aluminum or treated wooden frames”.