We Must Be United Against Hunger Threat —Fashola

As Lagos joined the rest of the world to mark the World Food Day last week, Governor Babatunde Fashola has called for a united battle against the threat of hunger and take collaborative, coordinated action to ensure regular supply of food to ensure stability of prices.

The theme of this year’s celebration which is Food Prices: From Crisis to Stability, is borne out of global concern for supply shortage due to factors like famine, urbanisation and land tenure system, among others.

These factors have translated to exorbitant food prices that are not affordable to a large majority of people. For food prices to be stable and within reach, therefore, supply must be increased, necessary infrastructure such as good transportation must be put in place.

Speaking during the celebration at the Lagos Television Ground, Fashola said: “We should seize the opportunity of this year’s celebration to highlight the potential of agriculture in Lagos State as well as showcase the achievement of the government and other stakeholders such as farmers, fishermen and agro-processors in the development of agriculture, among others.”

Fashola recalled the time when agriculture was the mainstay of the nation’s economy, saying that it was time the nation went back to land and engage in agricultural production for the survival of the country.

“Without green plants, there would be no life on earth. Green plant is the link between the energy giving sun and the sustainability of the life of man. I, therefore, wish to enjoin you to have small gardens around your houses where you can plant vegetables and fruits,” he stated.

The governor said the state had begun to reap the dividends of establishing fish farm estates across the state, disclosing that the Ikorodu Fish Farm Estate, which had been fully subscribed, produced about 1,200 tonnes of fresh fish in 2010 valued at over N500 million.

“Over 50 jobs were directly created in the estate with over 2,500 indirect jobs. The Ministry of Agriculture held a public presentation of some projects recently among which is the new 400-plot Fish Farm Estate at Ketu-Ereyun in Epe area.

“It has the capacity to produce about 10,000 tonnes of fresh fish at full capacity annually. Homestead fish farming is also being encouraged through extension services and we should all endeavour to have small fish tanks or ponds at our backyards,” said Fashola, whose speech was read by the Head of Service, Mr. Adesegun Ogunlewe.

Fashola stated that the implementation of the agricultural policies of the government would help in making more food available and stabilised as aptly captioned by the theme of the celebration.

He added that the government was partnering with the civil society and the private sector, among others, to make more food available to the people at affordable prices in order to defeat hunger, poverty and malnutrition.

Commissioner for Agriculture and Cooperatives, Prince Gbolahan Lawal, enumerated the various agricultural projects of the state such as rice for job project, fisheries development, commercial agriculture, vegetable, poultry, arable crop, fish farming and so on.