Governor . Babajide Sanwo-Olu, of Lagos State on Thursday provided 1,750 farmers in various agricultural value chains with agricultural productive assets and inputs to boost food production in the state.
Sanwo-Olu made the presentation at the flag-off ceremony of the 2019 Agricultural Value Chains Empowerment Programme held at Ikeja.
The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, said that the state government would continue to provide necessary assistance and advisory services to farmers to increase food production.
“In spite of the global climate change, which constitutes a major challenge to food security, our government will continue to provide necessary assistance and advisory services to farmers to increase food production in the state.
“We must therefore prepare to adequately meet the challenges and reinforce the need for a new and integrated approach to food production and agro-allied business in order to enhance and sustain food security,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu said that a Five Year Agricultural Roadmap with the theme, “A Sustainable and Inclusive Growth Strategy with the Citizens at the Core” had been developed.
“This focuses on the development of agricultural value chains where the state has competitive and comparative advantages including the provision and availability of improved inputs, increased productivity and production.
“It also addresses wholesomeness of food items, reduction in post-harvest losses, improving linkages with industry in respect to backward integration as well as access to financial services and markets.
“All these efforts are targeted towards increasing the state’s self-sufficiency from less than 20 per cent to 40 per cent of food needs by 2023,” he said.
The governor said that the state had started the implementation of various projects in the agricultural space that were targeted at revolutionalising food production.
“Livestock and food production targets and consequently reduce dependence on other states for supplies, we have also established EkO-CITY Farmers’ Market.
“This is to serve as a place within the metropolis where farmers can meet with consumers/traders to sell their produce under a well-organised structure.
“The maiden edition of the market will commence in January, 2020 at Tafawa Balewo Square (TBS), Lagos,” he said.
Sanwo-olu called for active participation of all stakeholders in the agricultural space towards mitigating the challenges of food supply and demand.
He said that through their participation, lots of farmers would improve, jobs would be created and food production would be greatly enhanced.
The Commissioner of Agriculture, Mr Gbolahan Lawal, said that the attainment of food security was a cardinal objective of the state government as it strives to attain the status of a 21st century economy.
Lawal said that the overall aim of the programme was to deliver optimum economic benefits and employment opportunities for Lagosians.
“Since inception of this project in 2014, a total of 9,483 farmers, fishermen, processors and marketers have been empowered.
“These, in conjunction with other efforts of the state government have raised food supply from 18 per cent in 2014 to 25 per cent of total food demand in the state.
“The Agricultural Value Chain Empowerment is not only targeted at farmers who are the direct beneficiaries, but also at service providers, transporters, input manufacturers and suppliers.
“This project provides the opportunity of channeling needed support to small holder farmers who are actively engaged in the various value chains and are thus able to create further wealth and job opportunities.
“It will significantly improve the standard of living of fish farmers, fishermen, marketers and agro-processors in the state, expand food production by three per cent.
“It will increase revenue to the state government in form of taxes and other levies.
“This project will also create direct employment opportunities for 1,000 youths as farmers, processors and marketers across the
value chains through farm expansion,” he said
The commissioner implored all beneficiaries to put their inputs into judicious use so that maximum impacts were derived to the overall benefit of Lagosians.
He urged the private sector to collaborate with the state government to develop the various agricultural value chains.
