Kunle Adelabu
Youths and land owners in Ikorodu, have been challenged on the need to play their roles in ensuring food sufficiency in Ikorodu and the state at large.
Hon. Aro Moshood Abiodun, member of the Lagos State House of Assembly representing Ikorodu Constituency II, gave the challenge at his first Constituency Stakeholders’ Meeting which was held at the Golden Event Centre, Oke – Eletu, Ijede Local Council Development Area (LCDA) in Ikorodu Division.
This year’s stakeholders’ meeting was the ninth in the series and was themed: ‘Ensuring Food Security for Sustainable Future: Youth Participation and Home-Grown Farming’.
While identifying food insecurity as a multi-faceted challenge requiring the efforts of the government and the people to resolve, Hon. Aro charged youths to get involved in agriculture, and also called on the land owners, who are referred to as ‘Omo Oniles’ in the local parlance, to make their lands available for farming and other agric purposes.
“In consonance with the United Nation’s sustainable development goals – eradication of poverty, Zero hunger, good health and well-being, it is instructive to State that we, at Lagos State House of Assembly, are committed to making Lagos a producing State and not just a consuming State in the agriculture value chain to tackle the present day reality of food insufficiency.
“Our commitment is exemplified through transformational laws and policy supervision in agricultural sector. To mention but a few, the Lagos State Government, enabled by the House, has introduced several initiatives to increase agricultural productivity and output in the State; these initiatives are anchored on building competence among farmers, improving agro-business climate and by direct intervention in agricultural activities.
He listed some of the agricultural initiatives to include the setting up of the 34-hectare Ikorodu Fish Farm Estate which has the capacity to produce and process 10,000 tons of fish per year, partnering with 400 fish farmers in the State, the AGRIC-YES programme and ‘the Oke-Aro and Gberigbe Pig Farm Estates’ that currently partners with 1,200 farmers and have the capacity of housing and processing 88,000 mature pigs per annum.
He said that the lawmakers in the state, 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.
“We passed this law to protect our farmers from being attacked and their farmlands from being encroached upon as it is happening in other States, where farmers’ crops are being destroyed, which invariably leads to shortage of food items in the country, and the attendant high prices”, he said.
Hon. Aro also stated that solving food insecurity and ensuring sustainability and controlling the high cost of food items, involves everyone to participate.
“As we convene here to tackle this pressing issue of ensuring food security, youths participation in home-grown farming is very key.lt is important to realise that this is a multi-faceted challenge that requires a comprehensive approach because food security encompasses not only availability, but also accessibility, affordability and nutritional value.
“Therefore, our food production systems 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.
“To achieve these goals, our farming capacity has to be widened, involving everyone, including the youths with the skills, knowledge and resources to drive agricultural innovation and entrepreneurship within every community.
“To boost food production and also force prices down to bearable limits, there is need for strategic solutions and approaches to farming, such as bringing enthusiasm and passion to the agricultural sector and inspiring a new generation of farmers and agricultural leaders.
“Therefore, I call on you all our constituents who have landed properties, to priotise yielding them for agricultural purposes in order to encourage participation in agricultural activities.
While further charging youths and other stakeholders in Ikorodu, the lawmaker said:
“As part of the efforts to provide food security, I am working with one of our very good royal fathers, the Obateru of Egbin Kingdom.
“The four areas of intervention by the government are very key, and if only those of us that are youths are actually playing our roles, we would have stopped the cry of ‘ebi n pa mi’ in our constituency.
“After this stakeholders meeting, we will also call ourselves together as youths and see how we can work together as a team and family”, he said.
A Deputy Director in Ministry of Agriculture in Lagos State, Mrs Abisade Adejoke who interacted with the dignitaries and constituents generally at the meeting, also charged youths on the need for their involvement.
She said that the state government is making efforts through numerous ways that you can tap into to make people become 21st century agricultural entrepreneurs.
She stated that youths and others should be involved in farming and other agricultural activities, to guide against high cost of foods and food insecurity.
She also charged stakeholders on the need to cultivate habit of home farming to provide foods for their needs, while also stating that the state government is willing to buy farm produce in large quantity from any farmer in the state.
In their contributions, His Royal Majesties, Oba Ajibade Agoro, the Rnodu of Imota and Oba Semiudeen Kasali, the Adeboruwa of Igbogbo, commended the state government for its efforts so far in bringing about food sufficiency.
The royal fathers, however, asked the official of the Ministry of Agriculture that delivered lecture to sustain the ministry’s campaign beyond the town hall meeting and extended it to palaces and communities at large for effective adherence.
The Adeboruwa of Igbogbo also asked the ministry to make some of the initiatives advocated into printing and video materials for easy comprehension.
