The Ekiti State Government has called on farmers to intensify efforts toward sustainable and environmentally friendly palm oil production.
The Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Mr. Ebenezer Boluwade, made the call on Monday at the opening of a three-day training programme for smallholder farmers in Ado-Ekiti.
Mr. Boluwade reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting palm oil production through policies and legal frameworks that encourage the planting of palm trees and enhance processing capacity across the state. He described sustainable palm oil production as key to boosting food security, job creation and economic growth.
The training, sponsored by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), was organised in collaboration with the Ekiti Africa Sustainable Commodities Initiative and Propcom+ UK International Development.
With the theme “Enhancing Stakeholders’ Knowledge on RSPO Standards to Facilitate Responsible Production, Environmental Safeguards, Sustainable Land Use Planning, and Supply Chain Traceability in Ekiti State,” the workshop aims to deepen farmers’ understanding of global standards for sustainable palm oil production.
Speaking at the event, the State Project Coordinator, Dr. Yemi Akinyugha, and the leader of the Propcom+ team, Mr. Abib Ibrahim, stressed the need for farmers to adopt practices that protect the environment. They noted that the training would equip participants with modern skills while exposing them to partnership opportunities with national and international development agencies.
The Ekiti State Chairman of the National Palm Production Association, Mr. Adebabo Oluwagbemigun, commended the initiative, describing it as timely and capable of increasing the state’s internally generated revenue.
Resource persons at the programme took participants through improved techniques and partnership models aimed at strengthening palm oil production in Ekiti State and beyond.