Lagos State governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode has assured that his administration is committed to agricultural development as a means of getting alternative revenue and ensuring food sufficiency in the state.
Ambode pledged this when members of the 5th joint Federal Government of Nigeria/World Bank implementation support mission on third national FADAMA development project (FADAMA III) paid him a courtesy visit at his office in Alausa Ikeja. He promised that the state will play its part by providing funds and infrastructure to meet the needs of farmers in the state and ensure that the project succeeds.
The governor said the state government’s commitment to ensuring food security and enhance food production in the state necessitated its signing of memorandum of understanding on agriculture with the Kebbi State government, assuring that the positive effects of the collaboration will soon be felt by Lagosians.
Ambode who expressed confidence that the partnership would enhance food processing, production and distribution in the state, said his administration recognises the importance of the agricultural sector in wealth and job creation as well as in growing the economy and has thus made the sector one of its cardinal programmes.
Earlier, the task team leader World Bank, Dr. Adetunji Oredipe said the FADAMA project was set out to assist small scale farmers and other groups in the provision of production assets, infrastructure, capacity building and advisory services.
Lagos State has been selected for rice production under the current project because of the success stories of FADAMA parent projects in the state.”