By Olamide Ajayi
The Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) has intensified efforts to unlock the economic potential of aromatic plants in Oyo State through a strategic partnership with the Oyo State Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development aimed at strengthening agricultural value chains and promoting industrial utilization of locally available resources.
The collaboration was reinforced during a recent courtesy visit by the Oyo State Coordination Office of the Council to the Ministry’s headquarters at the State Secretariat, Ibadan, where both institutions explored areas of mutual interest in aromatic plants cultivation, commercialization and participation in the forthcoming World Food Day Agrifair.
Leading the RMRDC delegation, the Oyo State Coordinator, Mr. O.A. Adeogun, accompanied by other officials of the Council, was received by the Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, Mrs. F.O. Adeniran-Adediran, alongside other senior Ministry officials, including the Deputy Director, Mrs. T.A. Olaoye, and Senior Agricultural Officer, Mrs. E.A. Ogundele.
Speaking during the meeting, Adeogun highlighted the Council’s mandate in promoting the development and utilization of local raw materials for industrial growth, economic diversification and sustainable national development. He stressed the importance of strengthening agricultural value chains through the cultivation and processing of high-value aromatic plants.
You Might AlsoLike
Both organisation focused on the establishment of aromatic plant clusters, pilot plantations and demonstration farms across the state as part of efforts to boost production and attract investment into the sector. Stakeholders also examined opportunities for developing essential oil extraction and processing facilities to enhance value addition and support industrial applications of aromatic plant resources.
The meeting further underscored the need for capacity-building programmes targeted at farmers through training and extension services to improve cultivation techniques, processing methods and product quality. Among the aromatic plants identified for development were lemongrass, basil, mint, citronella, clove and cinnamon, all of which have significant commercial value and wide-ranging applications in the food, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, perfumery and herbal medicine industries.
Mrs. F.O. Adeniran-Adediran of the Ministry expressed their readiness to collaborate with the Council on programmes capable of driving investment, job creation and industrial growth through the development of the aromatic plants value chain. They noted that Oyo State possesses favourable agro-ecological conditions suitable for large-scale cultivation of aromatic crops, particularly in the Oke-Ogun and Ibarapa zones.
The visit culminated in renewed commitments by both parties to deepen institutional cooperation and advance initiatives that would facilitate the establishment of aromatic plant clusters and pilot cultivation projects across the state.
The development reflects ongoing efforts by RMRDC and the Oyo State Government to harness agricultural resources for economic transformation, promote value addition and strengthen the industrial raw materials base of the South-West region.
