Food security: Lagos acquires Osun land for agriculture

Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola says his administration ha

s purchased land in Osogbo, Osun State for agriculture in order to tackle the challenge of food shortage in the state.

The governor added that the state was making moves to acquire land in other states where it would commence the planting of cash and food crops such as pineapple and citrus.

Fashola, who was represented by the deputy governor, Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, spoke at the inauguration of the state’s Farm Service Centre in Oko Oba, Agege, Lagos on Wednesday.

He said the country was facing a challenge of feeding its huge population.

He said, “Our food security is being threatened by rising food prices. Between 2007 and 2010, prices of major staples rose by over 50 per cent. Nigeria was listed by the World Bank as one of the countries with the highest domestic food price increase among 58 countries surveyed by the Food and Agriculture Organisation.”

The governor explained that the state had come up with an Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy to tackle the challenge of food shortage.

At the event, which was also used to mark the 2012 Farmers Appreciation Day, Fashola said his administration would ensure that by 2025, 30 per cent of the food needs of the state would be produced locally and by 2050, the state would produce 60 per cent of its needs.

“Lagos State under the present administration has done a lot to make the agenda possible. We have built a 20,000 metric tonnes per annum rice milling plant. A lot of work has also been done in the cassava sector of the transformation agenda. These will provide employment, promote rural development and reduce poverty,” Fashola said.

Earlier, Commissioner for Agriculture and Cooperatives, Mr. Gbolahan Lawal, said the centre would expand the scope of government’s support to farmers in the state.