The Lagos state government has called on residents to engage in subsistence farming by growing crops within their homes to mitigate the high cost of food items in the state.
Abisola Olusanya, the state commissioner for agriculture and food systems, made this appeal during a news conference on Wednesday in Lagos.
“We call on Lagos residents to get into some kind of urban farming. Grow something in your home that you can eat; it helps lessen the burden as a society,” said Ms. Olusanya.
Subsistence agriculture, which involves growing crops to meet the needs of oneself and one’s family on smallholdings, was emphasized as a way to boost food security.
The commissioner also explained the recent name change of the ministry to include “food systems,” aimed at improving service delivery and covering the entire value chain in the agricultural sector beyond farming.
She revealed that new departments such as livestock services, agricultural produce safety, and quality control have been established as part of this change.
She stated, “The reasons for these departments are also not farfetched because we are in the process of having a feedlot.
“We know Lagos as the hub for food marketing, but also the fact that when it comes to sheep and goats, Lagos still remains the epicentre of where these particular livestock are sold and processed and consumed.
“So for that reason, we felt it is essential to have a Livestock Services Department. We still have the Veterinary Services Department, which is more about animal health.
“For the Engineering Department, we procured some tractors and other implements as far back as 2021 during our Enterprise Activation Programme.
“We have been utilising it, but we will be having more because of our partnership with sister states.
“There will be a lot more investment around mechanisation to aid crop production, so we thought it was essential,” Olusanya added.
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Ms. Olusanya noted that Lagos remains a central hub for food marketing, particularly for sheep and goats, necessitating the creation of the Livestock Services Department.
Additionally, she highlighted ongoing efforts in mechanization to aid crop production, which includes procuring more tractors and implements in partnership with sister states.
Addressing the distribution of food palliatives, Ms. Olusanya assured residents of transparency in the process, free from bias related to religion, party affiliation, or ethnicity.
She stated that 500,000 beneficiaries had already received palliatives, including rice, garri, and beans, distributed through community development associations and monitored by civil society, religious groups, and labor unions.
She further assured that the state would ensure transparent distribution of federal government rice to states upon its arrival.
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