The Ekiti State Bureau of Tourism Development will on Wednesday, August 12, unveil Ekiti Agro-Tourism, an emerging destination brand aimed at connecting the state’s agricultural economy with tourism, culture, cuisine, hospitality and private-sector investment.
The initiative will be presented at the ongoing EKIFEST 2026 in Ado-Ekiti as part of efforts to position agriculture as a major component of the state’s tourism economy.
According to the Director-General of the Bureau, Wale Ojo-Lanre, Ekiti already has the resources required to develop a distinctive agro-tourism destination, but those assets must be deliberately packaged into experiences capable of attracting visitors and investment.
He said the agricultural transformation agenda of Governor Biodun Oyebanji provides a strong foundation for the initiative, particularly as developments in agriculture create opportunities that can be viewed through a tourism lens.
Ojo-Lanre identified the completion and commencement of commercial operations at the Ekiti Agro-Allied International Cargo Airport as a major development that could strengthen the connection between farms, markets, investors and tourists.
The Bureau will also showcase the activities of young commercial farmers in the state, including agricultural initiatives involving YSJ Farms, as examples of a new generation of agricultural entrepreneurship emerging in Ekiti.
Another focus will be the Cavista/Agbeyewa cassava programme, which the Bureau said demonstrates the growing role of large-scale private investment in the state’s agricultural sector.
The renewed push for cocoa production and the revival of Ekiti’s cocoa economy will also feature prominently in the agro-tourism presentation.
The Bureau is collaborating with Value Ingredients Limited, an indigenous Ekiti agro-processing company, to demonstrate the journey from farm to factory to table.
Through locally produced and packaged food products, the company will showcase how agricultural produce can progress from cultivation to processing, packaging, consumption and commerce, while ultimately becoming part of the tourism experience.
Visitors to the Bureau’s stand will be able to see and taste selected Ekiti-made products as part of the activation.
Ojo-Lanre said the initiative was intended to expand the conventional definition of tourism attractions.
“A farm can be a tourism destination. A processing factory can become an educational visitor experience. Our indigenous foods can attract visitors. Our farmers can become part of the tourism value chain, and our rural communities can benefit from the visitor economy.”
He added that the Bureau’s responsibility was to identify tourism opportunities emerging from the governor’s agricultural policies, package them and encourage people to visit and experience them.
Beyond agro-tourism, the Bureau said its EKIFEST 2026 activation would feature cultural dance performances and promote indigenous recreation through an Ayo Olopon Competition, showcasing one of the traditional games associated with Yoruba culture.
The Bureau will also provide information on tourism attractions and visitor experiences across Ekiti State, including waterfalls, warm springs, mountains, rock formations, cultural festivals, heritage sites and hospitality facilities.
Ojo-Lanre urged residents, tourists, investors, students, EKIFEST participants and other visitors to make the Ekiti State Bureau of Tourism Development Stand one of their major stops during the festival.
The initiative is expected to further highlight the potential of agriculture, food production, rural communities and indigenous culture as components of Ekiti’s emerging tourism economy.
