Ayodele Olalere
The Lagos State Government is set to shore up its food production from 18 per cent to 40 per cent as well as ensure there is food security for Lagosians.
According to the state government, some of the various agricultural projects that would help shore up the food security status of the state, and help to achieve a sustainable food security in the state were disclosed by the state’s Commissioner for Agriculture, Prince Gbolahan Lawal, while rendering the account of activities of his Ministry within the last one year to commemorate the first year anniversary of the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu-led administration.
Gbolahan noted that these agricultural projects, when completed, would quickly shore up the food security status of the State from its current 18 per cent to 40 per cent.
According to him, some of the projects are the Songhai Project now Avia Food Production Centre, the Araga Food Production Centre, the establishment of one ton per hour Fish Feed Mill (Extruder System) and the establishment of the Wholesale Produce Market.
Others are ‘the establishment of Strategic Food Reserve, completion of the 32 Metric Tons Per Hour Rice Mill at Imota; the optimal utilisation of the Farm Settlements and Estates in the State; empowerment of Lagos Agriprenurship Programme (LAP) graduands as well as the establishment of 160 hectares feedlot at Imota, Epe.”
The Commissioner added that the Covid-19 pandemic has thought the state a great lesson in food security, adding that the lessons learnt has made the state to make a deliberate efforts to formulate policy that would help the state secure its agricultural status, which in turn, has prepared the state for future events that may want to test the food reserve and supply system of the state.
“In line with the 5- Year Agricultural Development Road Map earlier developed by the Ministry of Agriculture that highlighted intervention areas to boost productivity along the value chains where the state has comparative advantages, this pandemic has brought to fore the need to shore up quickly the food security status of the state previously at 18 per cent with a goal to scale up to 40 per cent in order to prevent another kind of pandemic in the form of food scarcity.
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“This therefore calls for deliberate effort and policy formulation on the part of government in order to prepare for future events that may want to test the food reserve and supply system of the state”, he said.
He continued, “The Ministry is therefore to embark on some of these projects in the course of the year to shore up the food security status of the state.
According to him, the projects would “meet the food needs of the state’s growing population and transform agriculture to commercial and export-oriented production by essentially focusing on boosting local food production and employment generation especially for the youth.
“It would also provide training facilities for agriprenuers, youths, women and students in agricultural schemes; promote efficient distribution systems for agricultural produce through wholesale, retail and distribution channels; provide good storage facilities for a purposeful food reserve in the State as well as generate more revenue for the state.
“The objectives of these projects include boosting local food production; creating employment opportunities especially for the youth; providing training facilities for agripreneurs, youth, women and students in agricultural schemes; promoting efficient distribution systems for agricultural produce through wholesale, retail and distribution channels; providing good storage facilities for a purposeful food reserve in the state generating more revenue for the state,” he said.