The Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Community Engagement (South-West), Hon. Moremi Ojudu, has paid an official visit to Agbeyewa Farms, the world’s largest cassava farm and a flagship agrotourism destination in Nigeria.
The visit was both official and personal for Hon. Ojudu, an illustrious daughter of Ekiti State. She and her BAT-STEM team were warmly received by the farm’s Managing Director/CEO, Mr. Seyi “Oska” Aiyeleso; Vice President of Operations, Anthonia Attoh, Director Community Engagement Dauda Lawal; and other senior management staff.
Welcoming the delegation, the Director of Community Engagement, Dauda Lawal, highlighted Agbeyewa’s far-reaching impact on rural communities, describing the initiative as the vision of Mr. John Niyi Olajide, Chairman of Cavista Holdings.
In his remarks, Mr. Aiyeleso thanked the SSAP for visiting and noted that Agbeyewa Farms is driving a cassava revolution across 10,000 hectares of farmland, with over 30 tractors and 8 bulldozers powering its fully mechanized operations. He commended Hon. Ojudu for her leadership and advocacy in national development.
Ms Attoh, the Vice President of Operations, spoke about Agbeyewa’s transformative role in cassava cultivation, processing, and agro-trading, as well as its strong focus on job creation, youth empowerment, and sustainable food production. She reiterated the farm’s commitment to community development, citing ongoing collaborations with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to train and retain young graduates.
“We provide the best pay for our corps members because we value their contribution. Many of them are absorbed as full-time staff after service,” she said.
She futher emphasized that Agbeyewa’s goals align with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda on food security and rural economic growth, while appealing for more government support in mechanization. “One area of support we are seeking from government is access to tractors and bulldozers,” she added.
In her address, Hon. Moremi Ojudu expressed delight at visiting the farm, describing it as a national pride and a symbol of indigenous innovation. “I am so privileged and honoured to be here. I would like to thank the MD/CEO for hosting my team and I here. Agbeyewa is the biggest export of Nigeria and it’s an indigenous brand that deserves to be promoted by everyone.”
Hon. Ojudu and her team thereafter embarked on the memorable tour of the IPAO Farm, promising that the Presidency through the Minister of Agriculture will continue to provide more support to Agbeyewa Farms.
During the farm tour, the visiting team was briefed by Mr. Babatunde Akinsinde, General Manager of Farm Operations, and Dr. Saturday Idogen, Senior Farm Operations Manager, who showcased Agbeyewa’s 13 cassava varieties and research partnerships with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA).
The delegation were briefed on the Agbeyewa’s mechanized systems, upcoming modern processing facilities, and sustainable agricultural practices such as GIS system for land management, herbicide application using drones, and irrigation facilities for cultivation during dry season. Deeply impressed, Hon. Ojudu commended the innovation and scale of operations at Agbeyewa Farms.
“I have discovered cassava as an interesting and strategic crop. I am truly inspired and pray for greater success for the Agbeyewa team as they expand and build lasting impact,” she said.
She further proposed a collaboration to promote agricultural education among children and youth in the South-West and expressed her intention to return for another engagement with the Agbeyewa farm workers and farmers.
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