The Kwara State Government has set aside 4,000 hectares of land for setting up farm settlements across seven local government in the state, Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Bode Olayemi, said on Friday.

According to him, the land, which was being surveyed by the government, included 278.66 hectares at Ogundele/Atete in Ilorin-West; 535.75 hectares at Ilorin-South; 934.71 hectares at Bayero/Igbaja; 530 hectares at Isanlu-Isin; 410 hectares at Offa/Ira and 420 hectares at Erin-Ile.

Olayemi explained that government would arrange the farmers into clusters, co-operatives, units and groups, to encourage them to go into commercial farming.

The commissioner explained that government would go into the mass production of farm products like maize, rice, cassava and soya-beans.

He noted that the State Government had signed a memorandum of understanding with some local and foreign investors to set up agro-allied industries to utilise these products.

Also speaking, the President of the Agricultural and Mining Association of Nigeria (AMAN),  Bolaji Atunse, said the association would support the State Government's commercial farming programme.  

He explained that the farm settlement proposed by the government consists of 10 units of farm to be managed by 10 farmers.

"We have over 600 registered farmers across the state willing to participate in the programme. We are appealing to the government to do everything possible to assist and encourage farmers, in line with government polices to improve agricultural activities in the state," he said.