The Lagos State House of Assembly has called for stakeholders’ collaboration to tackle the challenges of food insecurity and build a future where youths and farmers thrive.
Speaker of the House, Mudashiru Obasa made the call at the ninth edition of the Lagos State House of Assembly constituency stakeholders’ meeting held in the Agege constituency on Friday.
The constituency stakeholders’ meeting was held simultaneously across the 40 constituencies in the state.
In his speech at the event, Obasa identified food insecurity as a multi-faceted challenge which requires a comprehensive approach by the legislature and the executive arms to tackle.
Speaking on the intervention by the State House under his leadership, the Speaker said, “As lawmakers , we have also created an enabling environment for farming activities to thrive in the state, particularly through the passage of anti-open grazing of livestock law in September, 2021.
Therefore, our food production systems in Lagos state must be capable of withstanding climate change, economic variables, providing access to healthy food for all and sundry and promoting sustainable practices that preserve national resources.
You will agree with me that the clamour for food sufficiency lately has been on the increase, hence this year’s Stakeholders’ meeting with the theme: Enabling Food Security for a sustainable future; youth participation and home grown farming is very apt, as it focuses on discourse towards addressing the hyper food prices and scarcity which invariably led to Food insecurity through the actions of some unpatriotic people that hoard Food items for personal gain to the det4iment of other citizens.
The Lagos State House of Assembly has introduced several initiatives to increase agricultural productivity and outputs in the state. These initiatives are anchored on building competence among farmers and improving agro-business climate and by direct intervention in agricultural activities.
These initiatives include setting up of the 34-hectare Ikorodu Fish farm estate which has capacity of producing and processing 10, 000 tons of fish per year, with partnership with 400 fish farmers in the state.
The AGRIC-YES programme that was set up to build competence among youths and encourage their participation in various activities within the emerging agricultural value chain in the state.
Another is the Oke-Aro and Gberigbe pig farm estates that currently partners with 1200 farmers have the capacity of housing and processing 88000 mature pigs per annum. And lastly, the Eko farmers market has been established in collaboration with private-sector partners to serve as a link between the agricultural producers and markets in order to ensure that farmers get their fair value for their produce.”
He commended the Lagos State Government supports for agricultural activities while calling for more interventions to achieve the desired results.
He however pledged the collaboration of the Lagos State House of Assembly with the executive arm to develop comprehensive policies and programme for youth engagement in agriculture, investing in modern farming techniques, technology and research.
The keynote speaker, Dr Akinyemi Olusegun of the Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture urged the youths and residents in the state to engage in urban farming.
He said, “We are here to discuss the food insecurity in the land. We are here to tackle the challenges of hunger in the land and to do this, Agriculture is the solution. In Lagos, we are more than 22million and as a result we have a huge need for food. People want to eat and engage in food business. There is pressure for food supply and that is why in the Ministry of Agriculture that are experts in the field of Agriculture.
Our youths must engage in agriculture business and especially farming. There is home grown farming otherwise known as urban farming. We can engage in snail farming. We can grow vegetable and yam in our various homes. This is why the Lagos State government is encouraging us to go into farming.
Our youths need to tap into technology and introduce it into farm produce marketing. In Lagos playa host to large number of people daily. Those that migrate rely on the existing food supply and this partly responsible for hike in food prices. The Lagos State Government has introduced AGRIC-YES under which the youths are empowered with agricultural knowledge and investment.”
Earlier, in his opening remarks, the Host and chairman of Agege Local Government Area, Mr Ganiu Egunjobi identified insecurity and non-availability of low interest loan for the teeming youths population as responsible for the food crisis.
He said, “This cannot come at a better time. The problem responsible for this are many among which are insecurity that has prevented many farmers from accessing their farms. Farming in Nigeria is no longer attractive to the teeming youths. I want to suggest to government at all levels to subsidise farming and also give loan at very low interest to farmers. The government should invest in innovative technologies to encourage our youths. Farming and youth unemployment are recurring issues which requires multidimensional interventions to tackle.”
ALSO READ THESE TOP STORIES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
Tell Nigerians cost of your PMS, PETROAN tells Dangote Refinery
