Lagos lawmakers hold stakeholders’ meetings to boost food security

Lawmakers of the Lagos State House of Assembly held simultaneous stakeholders’ meetings across their constituencies on Friday, reaffirming their commitment to improving food security and sufficiency in the state.

The meetings emphasized the need for collaborative efforts to address the ongoing challenge of food insecurity.

In Agege Constituency 1, the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, highlighted the complexity of food insecurity and the necessity for both governmental and public action to tackle it.

Obasa stressed that the Lagos Assembly is dedicated to ensuring food security in line with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, particularly the eradication of poverty.

This year’s stakeholders’ meeting, the ninth in the series, carried the theme: ‘Ensuring Food Security for a Sustainable Future: Youth Participation and Home-Grown Farming.’

“We at the Lagos State House of Assembly are committed to transforming Lagos into a producing state, not just a consuming one, in the agricultural value chain to address the reality of food insufficiency,” said Obasa. He added that the Assembly’s efforts are evident through legislative actions and policy oversight aimed at advancing the agricultural sector.

Obasa cited several initiatives supported by the state, including the establishment of the 34-hectare Ikorodu Fish Farm Estate, which can produce and process 10,000 tons of fish annually through a partnership with 400 fish farmers.

He also mentioned the AGRIC-YES program and the Oke-Aro and Gberigbe Pig Farm Estates, which partner with 1,200 farmers and have the capacity to house and process 88,000 mature pigs per year.

On the legislative side, Obasa noted the passage of the anti-open grazing law in September 2021, aimed at creating a conducive environment for farming activities in the state. He called for expanded farming capacity and urged Lagos residents to explore animal husbandry as part of the solution to food insufficiency.

Ganiyu Egunjobi, Chairman of Agege Local Government Area, echoed the Speaker’s concerns, identifying insecurity and the lack of low-interest loans for young farmers as major factors contributing to the food crisis.

“This meeting is timely. Insecurity has made it difficult for farmers to access their lands, and farming in Nigeria is no longer attractive to many youths,” Egunjobi said.

He recommended that the government subsidize farming and provide low-interest loans, while also improving infrastructure in farming communities to discourage urban migration and encourage youth participation in agriculture.

Dr. Akinyemi Olusegun, the keynote speaker from the Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture, encouraged Lagos residents, especially the youth, to engage in urban farming.

“With a population of over 22 million, Lagos has a huge demand for food. People not only want to eat, but also to engage in the food business,” he said, urging a focus on home-grown farming solutions.

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