The Kwara State Chairman of Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), Barrister Lateef Okandeji, has explained that the local government chairmen in the state have taken measures to improve agricultural productivity in the 16 local government areas.

Parts of the measure, according to him, include opening up the rural areas to enable farmers at the grassroots convey their produce to the markets, provision of fertiliser at reduced price and hiring of tractors to farmers.

Speaking with Daily Trust, Okandeji added that all the 16 local governments have a functional agricultural department aimed at supporting farmers.

He said: "We all have specific mandate to open up all rural roads to make it easy for the rural farmers to convey their produce to the market. Fertiliser is made available at reduced price, highly subsidised for farmers in the rural area. Most of the local governments have tractors which are made available to farmers to cultivate their farms."

The ALGON chairman, who is the council chairman of Ilorin East Local Government Area, disclosed that the farmers have been organised into cooperative groups to link them with the commercial up-takers expected to buy their products.