Ayodele Olalere
Lagos State government has expressed its commitment to solving the issue of food shortages currently bedeviling the country.
While speaking at the 2024 World Food Day held on Wednesday, October 16 at the Police College, Ikeja, with the theme ‘Right to Food for a Better Life and a Better Future,” Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu said there is need for the states and federal government to combat food insecurity.
“Food is not only essential for survival, but it is also the cornerstone of a prosperous and stable nation. A country that ensures its citizens have access to food is strong and independent, while food insecurity undermines national stability and leads to reliance on foreign aid,” the governor said.
He noted that Lagos State is facing food challenges because of its small size which has hindered adequate production of food for Lagosians but expressed his administration’s readiness to tackle the challenges facing the state.
Sanwo-Olu said the administration has rebranded the Ministry of Agriculture to be able to meet up with food challenges.
“Lagos State, despite being the smallest state in the country, has the largest population. With about 22% of our territory made up of water bodies, we face unique challenges in achieving food security. My administration is fully committed to addressing these challenges.
We have focused on strengthening the agricultural value chain to reduce food prices, develop an effective food reserve system, and ensure food sufficiency. One of the ways we are achieving this is by rebranding the Ministry of Agriculture to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Systems. This rebranding allows us to prioritize food systems management, enhance mechanization, improve food safety, and ultimately drive down food prices,” he added.
He mentioned the Lagos Central Food Security System and Logistics Hub at Ketu-Ereyun, the 32-ton per hour Lagos Rice Mill at Imota with production capacity of 2.4 million bags of rice, and the Eko Agro Mechanization Program, as some of the projects the state has embarked on to ensure food production.
The Special Adviser to the governor on agriculture and food systems, Oluwarotimi Fashola, also said the ministry is resolute in its ‘mission to ensure that all citizens have access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food, which is essential for active and healthy lives.’
He mentioned poor nutrition as the cause of immunodeficiencies due to lack of adequate supply of fruits, vegetables, and the necessary vitamins and minerals.
“This is why the Ministry and its agencies have set a goal to train and retrain both existing and aspiring farmers to ensure sustained sectoral growth and increased contributions to the State’s GDP,” Rotimi said.
