The Lagos State Government has assured that the various agricultural intervention programmes of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration would soon put an end to the exorbitant cost of food items.
The Commissioner for Agriculture, Ms. Abisola Olusanya gave the assurance at the graduation of persons with disability and special needs at the Agricultural Training Institute, Araga, Epe. The 165 beneficiaries were trained under the Women and Youth Empowerment Programme of the Lagos Office of the Agro-Processing, Productivity, Empowerment and Livelihood (APPEALS) project. They were trained in the rice, aquaculture, and poultry value chains.
She said: “It is pertinent to note that the present administration of Mr. Sanwo-Olu is exploring and investing in the use of technology to create a competitive advantage in ensuring that Lagos attains a 21st Century economy. Gone are the days when agriculture depended solely on cutlasses, hoes, and nature.
“As little as our land is, we want to produce significantly more crops per acre, improve the quantity and quality of produce, mitigate against risk and secure the environment. This is one of the mandates of the APPEALS Project; to ensure that climate-smart and nutrition-sensitive technologies are introduced and adopted by farmers in the State.”
State Project Coordinator of APPEALS Mrs. Oluranti Sagoe-Oviebo said people with disabilities and special needs should not see their physical challenge as a hindrance to their success in life. According to her, knowledge gained during the training would help them become employers of labour and agripreneurs rather than resort to begging.
National Project Coordinator of APPEALS Mohammed Sani Jobdi praised Governor Sanwo-Olu, Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat and the State Executive Council for their commitment to the project in Lagos.
