Afe Babalola announces Ekiti Farmers’ House to promote modern agriculture

Aare Afe Babalola, the Chancellor of Afe Babalola University, has announced plans to establish an Ekiti Farmers’ House in Ado-Ekiti to promote modern, large-scale agriculture. The initiative aims to attract youths and university graduates to the sector by providing access to modern implements such as ridgers, ploughs, and harvesters at affordable rates. The project is intended to be a partnership with the Ekiti State government and the 16 local government areas.

Speaking at the 2026 Afe Babalola Agricultural Expo (ABAEX), Babalola revealed that over N100 million has been distributed in cash prizes to farmers across the state since the expo began in 2015. For the current edition, N11.2 million was distributed among winners. The reward structure has grown significantly; the overall best farmer in Ekiti State now receives N2 million, while the top three farmers in each local government area receive N200,000, N100,000, and N50,000 respectively.