Lagos unveils plans on food security, healthy lifestyle

Lagos State Government has unveiled its plans toward ensuring food security and creating an enabling environment for the people to have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to maintain a healthy life.

Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, who made this known while speaking during an event to commemorate year 2015 World Food Day in Lagos said his administration is committed to making life better, healthier and wealthier for all residents and investors in Lagos State.

The Governor who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture (LSMoA), Dr. Olajide Basorun, noted that the theme of this year’s World Food Day; ‘Social Protection and Agriculture: Breaking the Cycle of Rural Poverty’ is a clarion call to the government and the people to synergize and ensure food security for the mass of people.

Ambode in a press statement signed by the Assistant Director Press & Public Relations LSMoA, Tunbosun Ogunbanwo, said: “We have to synergize and work together; Government will provide the necessary infrastructure and policies to enhance food security by encouraging more people to be involved in the process of subsistence farming.”

Ambode opined that the consumption pattern in Lagos as a mega city is expected to triple within the decade stressing that there is no better time than now for all citizens and stakeholders to engage in one form of farming or the other adding that the State government has provided many incentives and inputs for enterprising residents in the State to engage in farming including establishing farm estates in Ikorodu, Epe and Badagry areas of the State.

“We therefore have to imbibe lessons from the theme of today’s celebration and encourage active participation in farming. Already, we have put in place structures that would encourage our children acquire basic knowledge about integrated farming skills and contribute their quota to the food basket of Lagos State,” he noted.

The Governor also revealed that the State government has acquired land in Ogun, Osun and the Federal Capital Territory with a view to allocating plots of land to interested farmers, who will sign on to take-off Agreements with the State in line with the policy of making available arable land for farming.

Ambode disclosed that Government has concluded plans to collaborate with Kebbi State Government on the development of the Rice Value Chain in the state, adding that Kebbi State is one of the highest producers of paddy rice in Nigeria, and Lagos State is the highest consumer of milled rice in the country.

The Governor stated that with the ultra-modern Rice Processing Factory established in the agro-industrial estates in Ikorodu and with a plan to establish more of such facilities in conjunction with the private sector, the collaboration is a now a necessity.

“Lagos State consumes over 50 per cent of national rice demand which is put at over two million metric tonnes valued at over N365 billion. National rice demand is put at over two million metric tonnes, 90 per cent of which is imported from other countries which creates a drain on our foreign exchange reserve while thousands of our youths roam the streets unemployed,” he said.

Ambode however enjoined the private sector and stakeholders in the agro-enterprise value chain to invest in the additional milling facilities, in collaboration with the State Government, to produce enough locally milled rice and wean consumers off imported rice within the next 24 months.

The Governor emphasized that Lagos State has the smallest arable land size in the federation of Nigeria, yet the State is providing food security for about 20% of the national population, saying that the consumption pattern in the mega city of Lagos is expected to triple within the decade.

Ambode while assuring the people of his administration’s commitment towards making life better, healthier and wealthier for all residents and investors in Lagos State, added that food and social security could only be achieved by sincere commitment of both government and citizens

The week long activities to commemorate the year 2015 World Food Day in Lagos featured series of events which includes Agric Quiz Competition for Secondary School, 2015 All Farmer Forum which was held at Kosofe Local Government Area, and Agric Show and Exhibition.