LASG to acquire 32,000 hectares for rice cultivation

The Lagos State Government said it is in the process of acquiring an estimated 32,000 hectares of farmland for rice cultivation in seven states.

The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, stated this at the grand finale of the World Food Day with the theme, ‘Our actions are our future: Healthy diets for a zero hunger world’ at the Police College, Ikeja.

Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Folasade Jaji, said his administration was committed to food security.

He said, “We are happy to join the rest of the world in celebrating this year’s World Food Day and the theme for this year’s celebration speaks to the need for collective action towards increasing food production and ensuring that adequate attention is paid to the quality of food being consumed.

“A key project in the food security programme of the state government is the 32-metric-tons-per-hour-capacity integrated rice mill in Imota and when completed, the mill will ensure a sustainable supply of wholesome rice at an affordable price to the populace in Lagos and help to reduce rice importation into the Nigerian economy.

“We are also in the process of acquiring an estimated 32,000 hectares of farmland for rice cultivation in Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ekiti, Ondo and Kebbi states.

“The only way to effectively fight poverty and hunger in the country is to boost agricultural production and prevent post-harvest losses and wastage.”

Sanwo-Olu also urged Nigerians to engage in family farming to ensure that basic needs could be met locally.

The Commissioner for Agriculture, Gbolahan Lawal, said the state government had instituted the cultivation of crops under irrigation farming and the use of greenhouses to overcome challenges posed by the change in climatic conditions as a result of global warming.

He added that the state government had also embarked on the cage and pen culture where fishes were cultivated in nets in the deep sea.