THE Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture has launched its free distribution of agricultural inputs and production assets to 20,000 farmers in 120 farming and fishing clusters in the Alimosho LGA, 19 other LGAs, and 37 LCDAs of the state.
Speaking at the flag-off of the scheme held recently at the Secretariat of Ikorodu Local Government, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Ms Abisola Olusanya, said the initiative was part of the comprehensive plan of the State Government to drive food security by supporting farming and farmers to thrive.
She said a needs assessment was conducted by officials of the Ministry to get the view of farmers as to the required production assets to boost farming and that the inputs distributed were a result of their responses.
She said the attainment of food security had consistently been a major policy thrust of the Sanwo-Olu administration given its relevance in promoting the health and well-being of citizens and the achievement of the State Government’s T.H.E.M.E.S Agenda, especially the fourth pillar of making Lagos a 21st-century economy.
She said, “Other youth-centred efforts include the Lagos Agripreneurship Programme to train 15,000 youths with a passion for agriculture, of which 3,000 has been successfully trained, and plans are being put in place to train an additional 1,200 youths this year.
"Aside from these, this administration has trained 51,476 and empowered 29,353 women and youth in different agricultural value chains, such as the cage & pen culture, poultry, rice production, snailery, beekeeping, and coconut arts & craft, amongst others, using various government platforms."
Speaking earlier, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Agriculture, Dr Oluwarotimi Fashola, said the farmers' support programme commenced in 2014 and that a total of 16, 466 farmers, fishermen, agro-processors, butchers, and marketers have so far benefited with corresponding impacts on agricultural productivity.
He urged beneficiaries to make the best use of the inputs received towards the overall development of agriculture in the state.
