Ogun State Government has continued to intensify capacity building of its workforce on backyard farming, as part of strategic measures being taken to ensure food security amidst the rising cost of foods in Nigeria, occasioned by removal of fuel subsidy
The State Government on Wednesday trained and presented seedlings to additional 125 civil servants at an event organized by the State Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security as part of activities marking the 2024 World Food Day held at Valley view auditorium of Government House in Isale-Igbein Abeokuta the State capital, bringing the total number of trained civil servants so far to 255
The State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security Hon. Bolu Owotomo and Head of Service, Mr Kehinde Onasanya made this known in their separate remarks at the event which featured exhibition of products from various Agro-Processing companies and farm estates across the state
The Commissioner speaking shortly after the capacity building, explained that the ministry decided to organize the training for civil servants as part of celebration of this year's World Food Day, to jump-start the effort of promoting the concept of "Backyard Farming" to ensure food security in Ogun State
"We believe by promoting"Backyard Farming ", in Ogun State, our civil servants and residents will be able to produce foods in their backyard and this will definitely reduce the cost of foods in the market
Owotomo in an interview with newsmen from the sidelines of the event, described the capacity building as one out of many initiatives of the Prince Dapo Abiodun's administration to boost food production, saying the initiative will be extended to the public primary and secondary schools and later to tertiary institutions where school farms will be established to further compliment government's effort at addressing food crisis in the country
"We will also be activating Directorate of Agriculture Services across the 20 Local Government Areas of the State, to make them more functional because they are the closest to the grassroots. By and large, we've had a lot of interventional programmes for our farmers. We held a session with all Directors of Services in the 20 Local Governments. During this session we did SWOT analysis of Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats of each of them, we have understanding of availability of land, and where they have comparative advantages , so by the time the newly elected councils officials come into office by November, 2024 , we will be working together with them to further improve on food security in the state, the Commissioner assured
Similarly the State Head of Service in his keynote speech, stressed the need for civil servants to be actively involved in the "Backyard Farming" , to compliment the numerous efforts of the Prince Dapo Abiodun's administration at ensuring massive food production in the state
"I urge all Civil Servants to activatively engage in "Backyard Farming ", as a means of complimenting the efforts of the government in ensuring food security", he charged
Onasanya added that involvement of civil servants in Backyard Farming would strengthen the capacity of their respective households to contribute to the larger economy of the State and country while deriving so many personal benefits including enjoying regular supply of nutritious foods
He highlighted other benefits to civil servants to include reduction in the rate of malnutrition among children and mothers by 25 percent, access to animal proteins in a sustainable manner, increase in the income of households as they will be selling surplus produce to boost income amongst others advantages of Backyard Farming
The State House of Assembly Committee Chairman of Agriculture, Hon. Ifedolapo Owode was also part of the event, where he called for collective efforts of Nigerians to ensure food security in the country
Various farmers associations led by the State Chairman of All Farmers Associations of Nigeria (AFAN) Chief (Mrs) Adeoye Kusimo, representatives of different groups including, Mr Tayo Oguntola of Poultry Association of Nigeria, Ogun State Farm Settlers Council took turns to appreciate numerous efforts of the current government to boost food production in the state
High point of the event included presentation of seedlings to participating Civil Servants at the capacity building programme, and inspection of exhibition of various Agro-Processing companies and farm estates across the state led by the Head of Service, the State Commissioner of Agriculture and Food Security accompanied by Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mrs. Kehinde Jokotoye amongst other dignitaries
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