Kwara State farmers are celebrating Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq's transformative investment in rural infrastructure, crediting his administration's road projects with "turning market dreams into reality."

Mallam Abdullah Ibn-Ahmed, Chairman of the State Farmers Support Programme Committee, hailed the Governor's recent inspection of the 17.7km Madi-Peeke Road and 23.23km Okolowo Express Road in Asa LGA as a game-changer: "For decades, we lost harvests to bad roads. Now, our cassava, rice, and maize reach markets fresh. These aren't just roads they're lifelines to prosperity."

The praise follows the Governor's hands-on oversight of the World Bank-funded Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), where contractors were directed to "deliver quality within timelines." With N4 billion in state counterpart funding, the initiative has slashed travel time from rural farms to processing hubs by 70%, according to farmer testimonials from Owode Oja and Baba Kudu communities.

Chief Press Secretary Rafiu Ajakaye confirmed the roads address "the critical bottleneck of farm-to-market access," aligning with the Governor's pledge to make agriculture the state's economic engine. Farmers now report 30% higher income from reduced spoilage and expanded buyer access a tangible impact of the administration's "farmers-first" infrastructure push.

"The response from farmers across the State has been one of appreciation and renewed hope," the Committee Chairman said, adding that farmers see the roads not just as infrastructure, but as economic lifelines that reduce losses, lower transport costs, and improve access to markets.

He said the Governor's visit to communities such as Peeke, Owode Oja, Baba Kudu, and Akopari was warmly received, with locals acknowledging the effort to connect directly with rural producers and support their livelihoods.

Also speaking on the projects, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Alabi Afees Abolore, aligned with the committee's position and reaffirmed the government's commitment to improving rural access through targeted investments.

"These roads are deliberately prioritised to boost rural productivity. His Excellency's directive is clear: bring government closer to the people, and bring farmers closer to opportunities," he said.

The road projects, supported by development partners, have received over N4 billion in counterpart funding from the Kwara State Government.

Mallam Abdullah reaffirmed the committee's support for the government's rural development agenda and pledged continued collaboration with farming groups and local stakeholders to maximise the impact of the interventions, which he described as central to inclusive growth and sustainable development across Kwara State.