Nigerian youths, especially those resident in the Lagos Island, have been enjoined to tap into the initiatives put up by the state to ensure food security by leveraging fish-farming, reports ITREALMS.
The Lagos State House of Assembly,Speaker, Hon.(Dr.)Mudashiru Obasa told participants at the 9th edition of the Annual Constituency Stakeholders meeting held at Christ Church Cathedral Primary School in Lagos Island, with the theme, Ensuring Food Security For a Sustainable Future: Youth participation and home-grown farming, in an official remarks.
Hon. Obasa pointed out that the root cause of hyper-food price to some unpatriotic people that hoard food items for personal gains to the detriment of others likewise the fact that, the citizens have abandoned their socio-economic responsibilities to the government as well.
"In consonance with the United Nation's Sustainable Developmental Goals-eradication of poverty, zero-hunger, good health and wellbeing, it is imperative to state that we, at Lagos State House of Assembly, are committed to making Lagos a producing State in the agriculture value chain to tackle the present day reality of food insufficiency.
In order to combat food insufficiency in the State, several initiatives has been put in place to build competence among farmers, improve agro-business climate and by direct intervention in agricultural activities" the speaker maintained.
The Honourable Speaker called on constituents with an expanse of land to as a matter of importance, release them for agricultural purposes so as to boost greater participation in agricultural activities.
Also speaking, the Chief Host and Lagos State House of Assembly member representing Lagos Island Constituency II, Hon. Olanrewaju Afinni, said the stakeholders meeting is a significant one, as it avails the people to relate with the representatives on their expectations from the government, describing it as a good feedback-mechanisms.
"The real significance apart from the speech delivered, is to be able to take back from our Constituents what they actually want the government to do, we put to them what the government has been doing and in the process when listening to us, they can always bring up their suggestions, so we know where to make little changes and the process, more robust so that we can actually serve the people, not doing things for ourselves, by bringing them together and hearing their opinions, we let them be part of the decision-making process which is the most important part of it" he said.
On youth's involvement in farming, Hon. Afinni urged the Ministry of Agriculture to identify places with large concentrations of people, and equally intensify their trainings to schools in order to capture the young minds.
The Deputy Director, Lagos State Agricultural Development Authority, LASDA, Oko-Oba division, Mr. Emmanuel Amure, said in ensuring food sufficiency in the state, there is need for everyone including the youths to key into urban farming also called home-grown farming ,this is to encourage the youths to make them 21st century agric-business entrepreneurs .
He stressed the benefits of youths participation in agriculture including being a business entrepreneurs, job-creations likewise awareness through technology innovation that will attract them to agriculture, buttress further that with greater youths participation in agriculture, as a win-win approach
The deputy-director also talked about other methods of home-grown farming like vertical-farming using empty containers which could be attached to the wall in the absence of no expanse of land to cultivate cucumber, watermelon, another as "bag farming" in which loamy soil is packed in a sack to plant tomatoes, and yam, to name a few.
The deputy-director further tasked participants to imbibe any of these methods and approach them for more trainings.
The Executive Chairman, Lagos Island East Local Council Development Area, Hon. Muibi Alade Folawiyo noted that fish-arming is advisable for the Island youths due to expanse of land challenges.
The event, compered by the duo of Prince (Hon.) Monsur Adekunle Oteshade-Eshilokun and Hon. Ahmed Olaufe, was the 9th edition.
ITREALMS recalled that this year's attendance cut across various stakeholders cum dignitaries from Lagos Island East and environs such as Chairman, APC Lagos Island East LCDA, Chief Rasheed Shobaloju, Leader of the legislative arms, Lagos Island East Local Council Development Area (LIELCDA) Hon. Olakunle Williams, Obanikoro of Lagos “Head of Ogalade Class” whom led Lagos white cap chiefs, High Chief Adesoji Ajayi-Bembe, Olorogun IDE of Lagos, Chief Ismail Oladehinde Folaji, Ojon of Lagos, Chief Tajudeen Abisogun, Olùwo Jakande of Lagos island constituency
Chief Bailey,Etti of Lagos, Chief Tajudeen Durosinmi Etti, Deputy Director, House of Assembly Tugbobo Ademola led the House of Assembly Team, Former, chairman Lagos Island, Chief (Hon) Lookman Ajose, ex-House of Assembly member, representing Island constituency II, Hon. Lanre Yusuff Ope, Ms Yemisi Ransome-Kuti, Head of Ramsome-Kuti Family/co-founder Lagos Island Connect,
Prince (Olùwo ) Tosin Oteshade-Eshinlokun, Chairman, African traditional religion Lagos Island, Christians and Islamic leaders among others.
Gbemi Omotoso/Editor
No comments:
Post a Comment