Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has approved the establishment of a $42 million Ondo Agricultural City in Iju-Agbonrin/Ori-Ohin, Ose Local Government Area, to be developed by KONIG Agriculture Ltd under the Federal Government’s Framework for Responsible and Inclusive Land-intensive Agriculture (FRILIA).
The Commissioner for Agriculture and Forestry, Leye Akinola, confirmed the development in a statement on Sunday, a day after signing the land-lease agreement as guarantor between community landowners and the company.
Akinola described the agricultural city as a major step toward expanding food production, strengthening agribusiness investment and accelerating economic growth in the state. He said the Aiyedatiwa administration remains committed to creating an investor-friendly environment and ensuring that genuine private sector partners are adequately supported.
According to him, the project will significantly reduce unemployment and insecurity in the host communities, as KONIG Agriculture plans to hire a majority of its workforce locally.
He commended the governor for prioritising agriculture and pushing forward policies aimed at achieving food security. The commissioner revealed that the ministry would act as guarantor to landowners to protect both community rights and investor interests.
He further disclosed that the Northern Senatorial District will witness “an unprecedented agricultural revolution,” including the revival of the long-abandoned Akunnu cattle ranch built during the old Western Region era.
The Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mrs. Foluke Tunde-Daramola, who witnessed the contract signing, urged community leaders to encourage their youths and women to take advantage of the job opportunities the project will create.
Project Lead for KONIG Agriculture Ltd, Oluwasegun Saliu, praised the state government for attracting the investment and emphasized that over 60 percent of the workforce would come from the host communities. He added that the firm would provide key community support through corporate social responsibility initiatives, including boreholes, solar power systems and a farm-based health facility.
Mrs. Justina Arogundade, representing FRILIA, said the framework ensures that large-scale agricultural investments adhere to global standards of sustainability, social protection and community benefit.
