Lagos State government says it is looking inward to boost agro production as it can no longer afford to depend on other states for its food supply.
Recall that a recent blockage of food supply to the south part of the country from the north, by the Amalgamated Union of Foodstuffs and Cattle Dealers, triggered increase in prices of essential food items- beef, tomato, beans, carrot, yam, onion, among others, due to the shortage of these items in the market amid rising demand for them.
Abisola Olusanya, the state commissioner for agriculture, stated this at the opening of a 5-day training programme for extension agents in Lagos State, organised by the Lagos State Agricultural Development Authority (LSADA) in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
The training is aimed at empowering the agricultural extension officers with modern knowledge and technics, which they would in turn impart to Lagos farmers towards increased food production in the state.
According to Olusanya, Lagos could not afford to continue to be dependent on other states for her food supply, adding that it was just a matter of time before trouble broke out if anything goes wrong with the supply chain, hence the urgent need for the state to look inward and start growing its own food which highlights the importance of extension officers the more.
She stated that for extension officers to do this, there must be motivation and empowerment for them hence going forward, she called for more interventions for them.
“As extension officers, you are not just expected to teach the farmers about the latest practices and technologies required to improve their productivity, you are also to help the farmers understand market prices. So essentially, you are also teaching them business because it’s not just about producing, the end result is money.
“For you to do this, there must be motivation and empowerment for our extension workers. So going forward, we need to see more interventions. I realise that we have fallen short in terms of welfare and empowerment for extension officers, we promise to do better and we hope that this is the beginning of better things to come,” she said.
