LASG Establishes Greenhouse Clusters to Boost Food Security

• Canvasses new strategies to combat climate change

By Gboyega Akinsanmi

The Lagos State Government yesterday disclosed that it had established clusters of greenhouses in different parts of the state to boost agricultural production and food security.

The state government, also, canvassed the significance of evolving new methods and strategies to sustainably address the negative impact of climate change on food security.

 The state governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, unveiled the clusters of greenhouses newly erected across the state to mark the 2016 World Food Day held at the Johnson Agidi Agricultural Complex, Agege yesterday alongside the Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr Toyin Suarau among others.

 The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr. Tunji Bello, represented the governor at the world food day, where he said it had become imperative to evolve new methods and strategies to boost food security, given the rate of population growth particularly in developing nations.

At the forum, the governor spoke extensively about what his administration had done to boost agricultural production, noting that various policies “are being implemented to actualise sustainable food security.”

Ambode, therefore, cited the adoption of new agricultural methods and technologies, which he said, would ensure continuously farming activities throughout the year with or without rainfall.

He explained that several clusters of greenhouses “have been erected in various zones of the state. We just set up the recent greenhouse at the Iyaafin Vegetable Estate in Badagry. The main purpose is to boost agricultural production and achieve food production.

“In these greenhouses, rain-fed cultivation of food crops is eliminated as water is supplied to cultivated seeds or vegetative propagates through appropriate methods of irrigation including drip and sprinkle among others.” 

On climate change mitigation, the governor noted that the state “has established tree plant nurseries for the raising of different species of trees to aid the process of reducing the amount of carbon dioxide and temperature of the atmosphere. 

He, therefore, commended farmers for their commitment and perseverance, adding that at this time, the need “to accord agriculture the desired attention in increasingly becoming self-evident.”

He gave a commitment that the present administration would continue “to support the agricultural sector through incentives and other measures that will enhance greater productivity.”

Also speaking, Suarau said the passion of the present administration to ensure food security in the face of climate change “has been demonstrated through a number of innovations to prevent food shortage.

 The event which featured a parade by the exhibitors and farmers also witnessed the presentation of awards to winners of agriculture quiz competition among secondary schools and farmers.