Ukrainian investors storm Ogbomoso: See location they’re using
Khalid ABRAHAM
News filtered in early Friday that some investors from Ukraine, a European country, have berthed in Ogbomoso, Oyo state, to engage in large scale farming of sweet potatoes.
The good news emanated from a Facebook post by the Soun of Ogbomosoland Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye Orumogege III, who announced gleefully that he received some Ukrainian businessmen in his palace Thursday whose sole aim he said was to cultivate sweet potatoes.
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“Today, I had the privilege of hosting prospective investors from Ukraine into our great domain. Their interest in acquiring vast land for sweet potato farming is a testament to the rich agricultural potential of Ogbomosoland,” the paramount ruler wrote.
The monarch stressed that Ogbomoso zone has abundant rich land for cultivation of agricultural crops like sweet potato enthusing his 25 year-development plan is on course. He praised indigenous people who are keying into the agenda and called on investors to see Ogbomoso as a land of investment opportunities.
“Blessed with a favorable agro-ecological climate and fertile land, our region is primed for large-scale agricultural ventures.
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“This initiative aligns perfectly with our 25-Year Development Vision for Ogbomosoland, which seeks to position our land as a global investment destination. I sincerely appreciate the Economic Empowerment Committee and the Agriculture Committee for their dedication in attracting investors and exploring the immense opportunities within our land.
“As we continue to foster investment, Ogbomoso will not only experience infrastructural growth but also emerge as a key player in the global economic landscape. Together, we build a prosperous future!”
Where will the sweet potato farm be located?
ogbomosoinsightonline.com digged and it found out about 2,000 hectares of land is being negotiated at the fast growing Umerah Farms in Oriire local government area.
Umerah Farms is a large farm estate running into thousands of hectares of farmland established by the daughter of late former governor of Oyo state, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala, Olamide.
The farm estate is an investment-friendly initiative where hundreds of people rent farmland for cultivation of various crops including maize, cassava, yam and so on. The unique thing about the farm estate is that it is immune to herdsmen’s attacks, as there are security patrols keeping the itinerant herdsmen and their cattle at bay.
“It is a big place,” a farm owner at the place, Sanni Adeyemi, told Ogbomoso Insight.
“People come there to rent farmland, people come from Abuja and other places to farm there, it keeps growing everyday. We don’t record farm destructions by Fulani herdsmen. There are security patrols and so the herders steer clear of it.”
The farmland stretches from a village Sansan near Adafila to the boundaries of Kwara state.
Sources close to the management of the farm estate revealed that about two thousand hectares of land are being negotiated by the investors. An acre of land it is said is rented out at between N15, 000 and N20, 000 per farm season.
When it comes to fruition the project is expected to provide employment opportunities and boost economic activities in Ogbomoso especially if an integrated system is adopted in which sweet potatoes processing units are established or prepared for export. The United States of America is currently the leading exporter of sweet potato globally with an export value of $174.1m in 2024, followed by Japan ($21.8m) and Brazil ($12.1m).
