Ekiti State Government is set to partner Durian Foundation for Rural Development to boost rural development, youth empowerment, and food security in the State.
Speaking on the significance of the partnership, the Senior Special Assistant on Farm Settlement and Agriculture Mr. Adewole Temitope emphasized that the collaboration is aligned with the vision of Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s administration to transform the agricultural sector and engage over 500 youths in various agric-based initiatives across the State.
‘This partnership is a practical step towards empowering our young population, creating sustainable livelihood, and ensuring good security for Ekiti people. It echoes the Governor’s drive to reposition agriculture as a key value chain in the State’, Mr Adewole stated.
Founder of the Durian Foundation, Miss Tony Joy, described the partnership as a remarkable opportunity to build a thriving rural ecosystem. She highlighted the initiative’s focus on planting, production, waste recycling, and youth engagement across the agricultural value chain, including marketing, processing, and technology-driven innovation.
‘The Ekiti State Government has given our Foundation, the platform to bring real change. We aim to train youths not just in agriculture but in understanding its complete value chain and how innovation can drive transformation in rural areas’, she remarked.
The Senior Special Assistant on Agricultural Extension Services, Dr Sikiru Olowoyo advised the foundation to explore a diverse range of commodities, maximizing Ekiti’s vast agro potential.
He noted that farmers in the State are doing well in some commodities like cassava and maize while there is the need to beam searchlights on other commodities.
In his remarks, the Senior Special Assistant on Special Agro Processing Zone, Mr Kehinde Ajayi expressed optimism that the initiative will complement the government’s efforts to developing processing zones and creating jobs for youth in the State.
The General Manager, Farm Settlement and Peasant Farmers Development, Mr. Kolade Osundun, assured all stakeholders of full support from his office, adding that “all hands will be on deck to ensure the success of this laudable initiative.”
This partnership signals a new chapter in Ekiti’s rural and agricultural development, with the promise of jobs, innovation, and sustainable growth for the State.
