Ado — The Ekiti State Government says it has concluded plans to deploy officials of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to rural communities to curb the spread of HIV/AIDS.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Rural Development, Mr Bamitale Oguntoyinbo, stated this in Ado-Ekiti on Wednesday.

He said the move was part of strategies aimed at reducing the prevalence of the pandemic among rural dwellers.

Oguntoyinbo spoke at the commencement of a two-day training workshop organised for officials of the ministry in preparation for the initiative.

He said the workshop was to build the capacity of such officers believed to be closer to the people in rural areas.

"They are the ones who have day-to-day interaction with farmers and other people in the communities; most of the farmers and their families do not have adequate information about the pandemic," he said.

He said rural dwellers were critical to the economic development of the state, adding that government was committed to their welfare.

Oguntoyinbo pledged government's continued provision of good road network, potable water, electricity and qualitative health care services in all the nooks and crannies of the state.

He said it was regrettable that the HIV/AIDS pandemic had continued to pose a serious threat to humanity, noting that ignorance among rural dwellers was responsible for the slightly higher prevalence among those living