Lagos State has urged local government councils to improve agricultural practice to tackle food insecurity, especially at the grassroots.
Special Adviser to the governor on Rural Development, Nurudeen Agbaje, at an interactive session with heads of Agriculture and Social Services in the 57 local governments, lamented there was food insecurity because few people were into agriculture.
“If everyone plants tomatoes on a plot of land, at harvest time, we would have tackled a bit of shortage of tomatoes in the state,” he noted.
Agbaje stressed importance of agricultural revolution, saying it can only happen when adequate attention is given to agriculture at the grassroots. ‘This is why heads of Agric Departments at councils must equip farmers with requisite skills for farming all year round’, he said.
According to the governor’s aide, the government will invest in improving agriculture to tackle leaner food production and distribution. He urged council officials to meet with farmers to get areas where government can help in.
He noted food security in Lagos is a responsibility of all. “Everyone must fight food shortage,” he said.
Permanent Secretary in Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development, Mrs. Kikelomo Bolarinwa, represented by Director of Rural Agriculture, Mrs. Tawakaltu Kosoko, praised the HODs for ensuring the governor’s efforts in cascading development to rural farmers is visible.
She noted the interactive session is a move to foster agriculture development, especially at the grassroots.
Mrs. Bolarinwa hinted there would be subsequent meetings to equip rural farmers on improved methods and tools to engender increase in agriculture productivity.
