The Kwara government has reaffirmed its dedication to inclusiveness and equal opportunities in agriculture for People Living with Disabilities (PWDs).

The Kwara commissioner for agriculture and rural development, Afees Abolore, reaffirmed the commitment while receiving the new executive of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD), Kwara chapter, during a courtesy visit on Saturday.

He assured that persons with disabilities remained active beneficiaries of the state’s programmes and policies.

“The state government has put in place deliberate steps to mainstream inclusivity across government programmes, particularly in agriculture,” he said.

Mr Abolore assured that persons with disabilities would benefit from input distribution, capacity building and empowerment schemes.

He pledged the ministry’s support to their participation in various agricultural value chains.

The commissioner stressed that women, youths, and persons with disabilities formed the backbone of Nigeria’s rural economy.

According to him, JONAPWD will be integrated into agricultural planning, financing, extension, and decision-making in the state.

Earlier, the chairman of JONAPWD, Kwara chapter, Adebayo Gbadamosi, commended AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq for his unprecedented commitment to inclusivity.

He said: “The state government has consistently carried persons with disabilities along in input distributions and other interventions”.

Mr Gbadamosi also commended the governor for breaking new ground by appointing persons with disabilities into key government positions, including permanent secretaries.

He described the development as a milestone never recorded in the state, adding that members of the association were actively engaged in diverse agricultural value chains, contributing meaningfully to food production and rural development.

JONAPWD also informed the commissioner of its International Day of Persons with Disabilities, slated for Dec. 3, 2025.

(NAN)