Lagos State government has admonished the local government councils to embrace improved agricultural practices to tackle food insecurity, especially at the grassroots.
The special adviser to the governor on rural development, Nurudeen Agbaje, at an interactive session with Heads of Agriculture and Social Services in the 57 local government areas, lamented that food insecurity was because few people are venturing into agriculture.
“If everyone in this room plant tomatoes on a plot of land, at harvest time, we would have successfully tackled a bit of shortage of tomatoes in the state,” he noted.
Agbaje harped on the importance of the agricultural revolution, asserting that it can only happen when adequate attention is given to agriculture at the grassroots.
“This is why Heads of Agric Departments at the councils must equip farmers in their communities with requisite skills needed for farming all year round”, he said.
According to the governor’s aide, the government is willing to invest in the improvement of agriculture to tackle the dearth of food production and distribution.Related News
He, therefore, urged the council officials to meet with farmers in their domain to get areas where the government can help their ventures.
He reiterated that achieving food security in Lagos is a collective responsibility of all stakeholders. “Everyone must partner with the agricultural sector to fight food shortage,” he said.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development Kikelomo Bolarinwa, represented by the Director of Rural Agriculture, Tawakaltu Kosoko, praised the HODs for ensuring that the efforts of Mr. Governor in cascading development to rural farmers are visible.
She affirmed that the interactive session is a move to foster agriculture development across the state, especially at the grassroots.
Bolarinwa also hinted that there would be subsequent meetings targeted at equipping rural farmers with improved methods and tools that would engender an increase in agriculture productivity.
Chairman, Body of Heads of Department of Agric. & Social Services in the state, Rasheed Bada, commended the governor for ensuring that the Office of Rural Development in the Ministry becomes a rallying point where rural farmers can access information and opportunities that would improve agriculture production.
THE NATION
