In its readiness to redefine the cassava value chain landscape in Nigeria, Agbeyewa Farms, a subsidiary of Cavista Holdings, has said that the company is focused on transforming agriculture into a key driver of economic growth and job creation in the country.
The Managing Director/Executive Director, Agbeyewa Farms, Mr. Oskar Ayeleso, disclosed this at a session at the ongoing Oodua International Trade Fair in Ibadan, where Agbeyewa Farms presented its vision for advancing agriculture in Nigeria.
Ayeleso gave credit to the Chairman of Agbeyewa Farms, Mr. Niyi John Olajide, whose dedication is to becoming the leading agro-allied company in Africa with significant investments and operations in Ekiti State.
“Agbeyewa Farms aims to innovate within the agricultural sector by connecting farmers to markets and communities to prosperity. Currently, the company is engaged in the cultivation, aggregation, and processing of cassava, aspiring not only to produce quality food and cash crops but also to empower the communities surrounding its operations.
‘The mission is clear: to thrive through sustainable agricultural investments while fostering healthy communities.”
He explained that since the establishment of Agbeyewa, it has seen substantial growth, expanding its workforce from five to over 200 employees and its cultivated land from 100 to 1,500 hectares of cassava.
“The company’s commitment to community engagement has turned potential conflicts into collaborative partnerships, leading to plans for further expansion to 10,000 hectares across nine communities.
“This strategy includes projected workforce growth to over 500 employees, significantly boosting local economies.
“With a robust investment in equipment, including over 25 tractors and an expanded fleet for moving resources, Agbeyewa is positioning itself for future growth.
“The ultimate goal is to establish a world-class agro-processing plant with extensive cassava plantations by 2026.
The focus on building human capacity and recruiting top talent demonstrates Agbeyewa Farms’ commitment to not just agricultural success but also to the prosperity of the communities it serves.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank the government of Ekiti State, led by Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji, for creating a supportive environment for our business to flourish.
“With such leadership, there is hope that our plans for achieving food security in our nation will be realised.
We are also collaborating with the Ekiti State Government to develop well-designed infrastructure that will support agricultural development in the state.
“Governor Oyebanji is ambitious in his goals, working towards activating the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones in partnership with the African Development Bank. This is undoubtedly great news for agricultural production and job creation.”
Mr. Ejitola Azeez, a value chain manager at Agbeyewa, stated, “We are collaborating with cassava farmers to help them grow in line with our vision.
“We assist them in cultivation, provide quality cassava varieties, and buy back their produce to encourage sustained collaboration.
“We offer a ratio of 70 per cent to 30 per cent aggregate collaboration with our ingrower and outgrower farmers.”
Also speaking, Babajide Akinsinde, the General Manager of Agbeyewa Farms and a cassava value chain expert, mentioned that any farmer cultivating less than 15 tonnes of cassava is unlikely to have a viable business due to rising costs. Cassava serves as an import-substitute agro product, and what Agbeyewa is doing with cassava is unprecedented given its essential nature and the varieties we focus on, which include Ayaya, Dickson, 419, and White Lion.
“The choice of these varieties is strategic as we aim for industrial starch production, and they provide the high yield necessary to meet our productivity goals,” the GM added. “We currently have about 10,000 hectares in Ekiti State and are planning to acquire more land. Since we cannot handle this alone, we are bringing in more farmers to meet the growing demand for processing.”
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