The Lagos State Government has urged youths to key into its various agricultural empowerment and entrepreneurial programmes to boost food production in the state.
Dr Oluwarotimi Fashola, Special Adviser to the Governor on Agriculture (Rice Mill Initiative), made the plea at the ongoing distribution of the 2022 Agricultural Value Chains Enterprise Support Programme on Friday in Eti-Osa Local Government Area (LGA).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) report that 15 LGAs have so far received various empowerment ranging from smoking kilns, live bird distribution truck, deep freezers, generators, fertiliser and stove.
Others are electric de-feathering machines, grinding machines and wheelbarrows, chemicals and Knapsack sprayers.
The LGA include Ikorodu, Surulere, Kosofe, Mushin, Mainland Amuwo-Odofin, Ikeja, Eti-Osa, Shomolu, Epe, Lagos Island, Ibeju-Lekki, Alimosho, Agege and Ojo.
He added that Lagos state has various empowerment programme targeted at youths and women that would enhance their productivity and boost food production
Fashola noted that one of the challenges confronting agriculture in the state was the issue of aging farmers and fishermen population.
He noted that most youths who make up about 60 per cent of state’s population are not interested in agriculture as a profession because of drudgery in the system.
According to him, plans are being put in place to train an additional 1,200 youths in 2023.
“If you look at the farmers generally, the average age is 50 years, it was high time youths take over the sector.
“We need the young population to come in to agriculture and for youngers population to come into agriculture implement becomes important, tractors and other mechanised Implements.
“By doing that will make them attractive and that will give them the opportunity to be in agriculture.
“We want them to partner with us, we have youth agric programme and we have the entrepreneurship agric programme.
“Lagos State has various empowerment programme targeted at youths and women so by partnering with us we can enhance their productivity and boost food production,” he said.
Fashola noted that the attainment of food security was a major policy thrust of this administration given its relevance in promoting the health and well-being of citizens.
He said the programme was to aid food production, processing and preservation to enhance livelihood of farmers in the state.
Fashola noted that the programme was designed to provide agricultural inputs and production assets for over 120 fishing and farming clusters/communities across the twenty local governments and 37 LCDA.
“Over 20,000 fisherfolks and farmers will benefit from the programme while budgetary provision has been made to accommodate a larger number of Value Chain Actors in the 2023 edition of the programme
“This empowerment is expected to scale food production from the present 20 per cent of demand to 40 per cent by the 2025.
“In this direction, the ministry is implementing a number of programmes and projects for facilitate the attainment of this vision, create jobs, and promote livelihood sustenance for the value chain actors."
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 15 LGAs have so far received various empowerment ranging from smoking kiln, deepfreeze, generator, fertiliser, stove, from the programme.
“It is the wake of this fact, that the ministry partnered with innovative companies to introduce technology in agriculture, especially the upstream sector.
“This is evidenced by the recently launched Tractor-on-the-Go project which is a tractor hailing service designed to facilitate easy and affordable access to mechanisation services”, he said.
He thanked Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu for his immense support to agricultural development in the State.
He urged the beneficiaries not sell the items but to make the best use of the inputs received toward the overall development of agriculture in Lagos State.
Saheed Bankole, Chairman, Eti-Osa Local Government Area, said the programme was a clear demonstration of Sanwo-Olu’s administration to improve the standard of living of the farming community in Lagos.
Bankole was represented by Sulaimon Adekanbi, the Chief of Staff to the Chairman.
He added that the vision for the establishment of fishing and farming clusters and food processing within strategic locations in Lagos State is indeed a game-changer for farmers.
A beneficiary, Aderemilekun Oshinowo, a fish processor in Ibeju-Lekki, thanked the government for supporting her cluster group with a large deep freezer and promised to make judicious of the empowerment.