By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Lagos State government has disclosed that it was working tirelessly to raise food sufficiency in the state to 25 percent within three years from its present 12 percent.
This information was revealed today by the Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr Toyin Suarau, during a Ministerial Press Briefing to mark Governor Akinwumi Ambide’s second year in office.
The Commissioner said to achieve this target, the state government has approved the upgrade of the Imota Rice Milling Plant from 2.5 metric tons to 16 metric tons.
He said by the time this project was completed within one year, food self-sufficiency in the state, especially through rice production, would have been boosted.
According to him, government is planning to stop milling rice paddy in Kebbi, Jigawa and Kano States.
Mr Suarau noted that when the Imota Rice Milling Plant was completed, it would be the biggest in Nigeria.
“The state government has commenced plans to upgrade of the Imota Rice Milling Plant from 2.5 metric tons per hour to 16 metric tons per hour within the next one year,” the Commissioner told newsmen.
“When completed, it would be the biggest in Nigeria,” he enthused.
He also said the Mr Ambode administration was working to boost agriculture in the state, which will consequently reduce unemployment rate in the state as well as drop poverty rate.
