The Young Professionals for Tinubu (Young Professionals for Tinubu) has distributed 200,000 hybrid seedlings of tomatoes, onions, pepper and okro to farmers in Ekiti State in a bid to boost food production and strengthen food security.
The intervention, which is expected to benefit about 2,000 farming families, was flagged off in Ado-Ekiti. Organisers described it as a strategic effort to support farmers and promote home gardening across communities.
Speaking at the event, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Babatope Ojo, represented by the Director of Administration and Supply, Mr Bunmi Oluwalana, commended the initiative, describing it as timely and impactful.
He said the programme would complement government efforts at ensuring food security and urged beneficiaries to make effective use of the seedlings to improve agricultural output.
Also speaking, the Ekiti State Coordinator of YP4T, Barrister Abimbola Daramola, said the initiative aligns with the group’s commitment to supporting the agricultural agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
She noted that the distribution would not only increase food production but also encourage households to establish home gardens, thereby improving access to fresh vegetables and reducing food costs.
Daramola added that the programme, which is beginning in Ekiti State, would be extended to other parts of the country, expressing confidence that it would contribute significantly to food sufficiency and improved livelihoods.
In her remarks, the Ekiti State FADAMA Project Coordinator, Olayemi Okunlola, lauded the initiative, describing it as a timely intervention for farmers.
She expressed confidence that beneficiaries would make judicious use of the seedlings to enhance productivity and ensure steady food availability in the state.
On behalf of beneficiaries, the Team Lead of Ekiti Youths in Urban Farming, Ifeoluwa Adetunji, appreciated the organisers, noting that the free distribution would ease financial burdens on farmers and enable increased cultivation for public benefit.
The exercise forms part of ongoing efforts by the Young Professionals for Tinubu to support agricultural development, empower farmers and contribute to sustainable food security in Nigeria.