The Ogun government, on Thursday, said it was ready to partner with the German Government in the aspect of food production to boost food production and food sufficiency in the state.

The state Governor, Dapo Abiodun, made this known when he received the Consul General, German Embassy, Weert Borner, in his office in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.

Mr Abiodun called for the exploration of available partnership options between the state government and German Government in the area of food production.

He noted that his administration was interested in partnering in the area of mechanised farming, saying that the state government would be supporting small farmers across eight agricultural extension services.

He said the support would be through training programmes, provision of tractors and other forms of mechanised farming equipment, to assist his administration in achieving its plan.

“Our new policy now is to partner anyone who wants to come and farm in Ogun State by providing accessible and cleared land.

“We have an ambitious plan of ensuring that in the next 12 months, this becomes easily visible across the state. We welcome partners that will assist us in that part”, the governor said.

Mr Abiodun commended the German Government for the capacity building programme of GIZ in the state.

He noted the position of the state as the number one in non-oil revenue in the country due to the abundance of mineral resources, particularly, limestone.

The governor gave an assurance that his administration had removed all forms of bottlenecks that impeded investors from investing in the state.

Earlier, Mr Borner noted that his government was contemplating more areas of partnership in the state’s agricultural sector as well as energy.

He, however, commended the state government for good and impressive work that had been achieved in the state.

 (NAN)