By Sodeinde Temidayo David
The Lagos State Government, in its pursuit of food security and self-sufficiency, is pushing for technologies that will enable farmers to farm all year round to reduce its large dependency gap.
This was revealed by the state Commissioner for Agriculture, Ms Abisola Olusanya, at a gathering to herald the activities lined up for the celebration of this year’s World Food Day.
According to her, the state would attain the desired sustainable agro-food systems if there is an all-year farming season.
Ms Olusanya also noted that the COVID-19 pandemic has underlined the need for an urgent change of route for the attainable of food security and safety bearing in mind the changes and effects the pandemic has had on agriculture.
As the theme of 2021’s World Food Day Celebration is Our Actions are our Future, subtitled Better Production, Better Nutrition, a Better Environment and a Better Life, it is noted to focus on the efforts being made by the state government in ensuring that a variety of sufficient, nutritious and safe foods are available at affordable prices to everyone, for a sustainable agri-food system.
The state produces about 20 per cent of its total food demand, leaving a gap of 80 per cent to be imported from other states of the federation and other countries.
Following this, the state has a plan to increase investments in the agricultural sector in order to improve food production, food security and supply in the state as well as bridge the food dependency gap.
The Commissioner pointed out that new policies that would foster the sustainable production of affordable nutritious foods and promote farmers’ participation are been adopted with the expectation that the policies would promote equality and learning, drive innovation, boost rural incomes, offer safety nets to smallholder farmers and build climate resistance.
She added that multiple linkages between areas affecting food systems including health, education, energy, finance, social protection among others would also be reconsidered with a view to making solutions fit together.
Ms Olusanya further stressed that World Food Day is celebrated worldwide every year on October 16 to commemorate the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations in 1945, adding that the same day has since been widely recognized by many other organizations concerned with food security such as the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the World Food Programme (WFP) among others.
“All member countries of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) including Nigeria annually participate in the events which focus primarily on the state of food security, raising awareness on the issues behind poverty and hunger as well as the efforts of different sectors to meet its challenges,” she said.
The Commissioner listed activities that have been lined up for the celebration in the State as including a Road Walk/Sensitization scheduled for Friday, October 8, an Interactive Farmers’ Forum on Tuesday, October 12, the next day, Wednesday, October 13, will feature Ofada Rice Day Symposium, on Thursday, October 14 a school Agric Quiz Competition would be held, and the grand finale will hold on Saturday, October 16 2021.
