Ekiti Statetate Government has concluded plans to enter into partnership with a Brazilian organization, African –Brazil International Forum on effective agribusiness, Monorail and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT).
This is in its drive to improve transportation and agriculture in Ekiti State,
The State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, who met with officials of the organisation in his office in Ado-Ekiti on Monday, said his government would be glad to partner the organization to actualise some of his laudable programmes, particularly in agriculture and transportation.
The Governor noted that Brazil has taken some giant strides in agriculture, having the most successful agricultural research organization in the world and hence the need for Ekiti to tap from their wealth of experience in the areas of research and technology.
He revealed that Ekiti and Brazil have a lot in common including climate and the types of crops available in the two zones.
“During my first term in office I spent some time in Brazil and I visited one of the most successful agricultural research organizations in the whole world and we have been able to learn a lot about what makes agriculture successful because everything I see in Brazil, climate wise, soil wise is almost as if I am back in Ekiti.
” The successful crops are those that we have here – cocoa, tubers and grains. But Brazilians have done more to advance via technology, via research and there is a lot for us to learn from the experience of Brazil.”
The Governor also urged more national and international business consortiums to come and invest in the state saying Ekiti was ready and open for business collaboration that would impact positively on the lives of the people.
He said the state’s Investment and Development Promotion Agency will drive the partnership alongside the Ministry of Arts and Culture in an effort to strengthen the bond of cooperation.
He said further, “For us, this is the beginning of an exciting relationship on the practical side in terms of agricultural cooperation but also on the cultural side, for us culture is very central to development and if we connect the two worlds, I know that we would make giant strides in our partnership.
Earlier, the General Secretary of the Forum, Lucas Andrade revealed that his association has over one million farmers with a team of over 25 investors ready to work with the state government to bring more development to the state.
Andrade, whose Yoruba name is Adeyemi Awurela, said the technical project was expected to bring a lot of food to the state through its agricultural programme adding that the mobility system would help bring radical development to the state.
The State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Prof. Rasak Ojo Bakare, said the visit of the Brazilians was the aftermath of the trip by the Ministry’s top officials to Brazil last year. This he said has yielded positive results not only for tourism industry but for other facets of the economy.
Prof Bakare revealed that that over 25 investors have shown interests in coming to Ekiti to invest in the different areas of the economy, under what he called the Brazil-Ekiti Project (BRAKIT).
