The Kogi State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Hon. Timothy Ojomah, has appealed to the Kogi State House of Assembly to increase budgetary allocation to the agriculture sector, particularly for smart agriculture infrastructure and youth empowerment.
Hon. Ojomah made the appeal while defending the Ministry’s 2026 budget before the House Standing Committee on Agriculture at the Kogi State House of Assembly.
The commissioner appreciated the Assembly for accommodating his appearance despite a personal bereavement, describing the gesture as a reflection of the cordial relationship between the legislature and the Ministry.
He commended lawmakers for their keen interest in agriculture, noting that the sector remains the backbone of the economy and a cardinal focus of the administration of Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo.
He cited recent agricultural engagements, including a cooperation agreement with Hunan Province, as evidence of the government’s commitment to transforming the sector.
Hon. Ojomah identified manpower shortages caused by staff retirements and deaths as a major challenge and appealed for the recruitment of additional personnel to prevent service gaps.
The commissioner further noted that nearly 200 Kogi youths have completed an intensive three-month smart agriculture and artificial intelligence-based training programme in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
According to him, the next challenge is integrating the trainees into mainstream agricultural activities.
To address this, he appealed for increased funding to resuscitate and expand greenhouse facilities in Osara, where an existing structure built in 2017 requires rehabilitation.
He explained that the current N100 million provision may be inadequate and called for an upward review to enable the construction of additional greenhouses, leveraging Osara’s security, staffing proximity and available water resources.
Earlier, Chairman of the House Standing Committee on Agriculture and Member Representing Kabba-Bunu State Constituency, Hon. Seyi Bello, said the exercise underscored the Assembly’s commitment to ensuring that the agricultural sector is adequately supported for optimal performance.
He noted that the committee is particularly interested in interventions that enhance food production and security, support smallholder farmers with inputs, services and credit facilities, promote mechanised and climate-smart agriculture, encourage youth and women participation, and strengthen agricultural value chains, processing, storage and market access.
Hon. Bello recalled that the governor, in presenting the budget, outlined a vision of shared prosperity aimed at driving sustainable growth for all, assuring that the Assembly remains committed to upholding that vision.