The foremost pan Yoruba sociocultural NGO, Yoruba KoYa Leadership and Training Foundation, YKLTF, is walking and working its talk in terms of liberating Yorubaland from the clutches of hunger. As the common Yoruba adage is often quoted in literal terms that "if hunger is eliminated from poverty then poverty truly ends".
The NGO has assured of relentless efforts and not resting on its oars until hunger is totally eliminated in the Yoruba region.
Yoruba KoYa Leadership and Training Foundation, through its agricultural and farming unit codenamed the green team, has dared the odds despite security challenges in the farm settlement to nurture its farms in Yoruba land to fruition.
The bountiful harvest of cassava, its processing and packaging has been outstanding. Members and non-members have equally benefited from the harvest and sales of several bags of garri available for distribution across the southwest region.
How did YKLTF achieve this feat? By identifying the food shortage problem and designing a strategically insightful solution through the cooperation of indigenous and foreign members contributions.
According to the NGOs president, Otunba Deji Osibogun, "The only way out of the hunger quagmire in Yorubaland is to tenaciously pursue the agricultural prowess that Yoruba people are known for".
THE PROBLEM
1) Yorubas produce less than 50% of the food they consume.
2) Most of the processed foods we consume are imported, yet we have the capacity to do our own processing.
3) Yorubas have abandoned our food basket – the rural areas.
4) We can’t have a viable Yoruba region unless we are agriculturally and economically independent.
5) Yorubas have abandoned our food basket – the rural areas.
6) We have rich soil and can feed the whole of Nigeria if we apply our minds and resources to it.
7) Our youths are not encouraged to embrace agriculture as a viable profession.
8) Yorubas in Nigeria and the diaspora have the human resources and technological know-how to be leaders in almost any field of endeavour.
THE SOLUTION
1) Members of the cooperative are therefore trained in various agro-related fields such as: Organic farming, Animal Husbandry, Agro Processing & Marketing, Bookkeeping and accounting, Agricultural building technology, Equipment fabrication and repairs .
2) Develop model Integrated Farm and Training Centers .
3) Develop a Farmers Cooperative .
4) Establish an Agro-processing and packaging unit .
5) Establish Ko’ya farmers market and Produce Marketing Board for export .
6) Develop Ko’ya Agro Machine and Equipment Fabrication .
7) Develop model Integrated Farm and Training Centers .
8) Yoruba Ko’ya will source for funds and resources from within Yorùbá land, the diaspora, and organizations such as Africa Development Bank (AfDB), IITA, etc.
To join Yoruba KoYa Leadership and Training Foundation or contribute meaningfully to the cause, please visit the foundation's website www.yorubakoyafoundation.org for details.
Demola SANYAOLU
YKLTF, Director of Media and Publicity
Comments