Lagos-Cares To Cater For 15,000 Farm Households, 69 Food Markets
The Lagos State Government has flagged off its Lagos-CARES initiatives in the Agricultural Sector, to cater for 15,000 farmer’s households with 69 food markets, to cushion the effects of continuous rise in prices of feeds and other farm inputs across the State.
Speaking at the flag-off initiative at Johnson Agiri Agricultural Complex, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Ms. Abisola Olusanya, said that the State Government had not stopped showing its care for all farmers in the State since the inception of the present administration, revealing that the State Government was the first to provide food palliatives to its residents during COVID-19 pandemic in order to ameliorate the challenges that came with the deadly virus.
She disclosed that the Lagos-CARES initiative, is a collaboration between the Lagos State Government and the World Bank, which is in continuation of intervention in provision of Food Security for residents of the State.
The Commissioner disclosed that Lagos CARES initiative provides succour to the farmers and community who might have lost their source of livelihood as a result of the inevitable lockdown at the onset of Covid-19 in the State.
Ms.Olusanya stated that, FADAMA has been saddled with the responsibility of implementing Result Area 2 of the program which would ensure food security and safe functioning of food supply chains for vulnerable households.
The Honorable Commissioner hinted that the State Government is poised to provide farm inputs and equipment for crops and provide essential farm infrastructure such as the availability to good access roads and irrigation to increase productivity in agricultural productions.
Noting that the program will be implemented as an emergency within 18 months, the Commissioner maintained that the gesture is only directed at existing farmers who already have the wherewithal but were affected by the covid-19 lockdown.
“This program is expected to reach about 15,000 farm households and 69 food markets as direct beneficiaries and many more indirect beneficiaries within the period highlighted” she disclosed.
The Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Agriculture, Dr Oluwarotimi Fashola advised the beneficiaries to utilise the Inputs, stressing that there is need to judiciously use the planting seeds.
He informed that the Ministry of Agriculture’s Imota Rice Mill when it becomes operational in full capacity, will create employment, and boost Internal Generated Revenue for the State Government and Nigeria at large.
