Lagos to boost rice production

Lagos State government yesterday stated that necessary effort have been put in place to boost rice production from 2.5 metric Tones per hour to 16 metric tones per hour.

The State Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr. Suarau Isiaka, who said this at the ongoing ministerial press briefing at Secretariat, Alausa, encouraged private sector operators to invest in rice processing to meet the demands of the people.

He also noted that a total of 100 farmers through the FADAMA 111 additional financing program are producing rice in Itokun in Epe Local Council. He said: “Rice cultivation has so far improved in the State from less than one ton per hectare with double cropping in some areas where irrigation facilities are provided.

“The Agric Youth Empowerment Scheme has trained over 500 youths in courses 1-V. 300 trainees in courses 1, 11 and 111 have been settled on various farms while courses 1V and V are waiting for empowerment. Course V1 started in January with 100 youths.”

Isiaka noted that products from the scheme includes over 1500 crates of egg per day 2,000 broilers per months, 18 tonnes of fresh fish per cycle and 160 tones of cabbage, sweet melon, cucumber, pepper and assorted leafy vegetables per month were marketed in various centers across the state.

Specifically, the commissioner stated, that subsequent to the effort of the government to address the various challenges facing agriculture in the state, such as declining land for agricultural activities, encroachment by land speculators among others, the ministry has intensified the establishment of additional farm estates in Eluju-Mowo and Igbodu respectively to foster public private partnership arrangement.

Isiaka also disclosed that the Ministry has embarked on the upgrading of the Oko Oba Abattior complex to ensure wholesome meat is supplied to the state and added that in the last one year, the ministry have hosted a world-class Food security Summit to attracts organisations that seek to partner with the State government in the realization of the Food Security Agenda. “Over 825 participants participated at the event,” he said.