LAGOS REITERATES COMMITMENT TO ACHIEVING ZERO HUNGER WORLD BY 2030
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Tuesday reiterated his administration’s commitment to providing necessary support to increase the productive capacity for farmers and other players in the Agric value chain towards achieving a zero hunger world by 2030.
The Governor, who spoke through the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr. Tunji Bello at the 2018 World Food Day and Lagos Farm Fair Programme at the Police College Ground, GRA, Ikeja, added that the Government would continue to demonstrate its commitment to food security by ensuring optimum utilisation of natural endowment in the Agric sector.
He said this year’s theme “Our Actions are our future: A zero Hunger World by 2030 is possible” is apt and reassuring, particularly against the backdrop of a recent report which indicated that 821 million people were afflicted with hunger in 2017.
He stressed that the figure shows a rise in the world hunger index and a setback in the progress that the world has recorded in the fight against hunger and malnutrition in the last ten years.
He explained that climate change, in form of increased intensity of heat and flood being experienced in different countries around the world including Nigeria, has been identified as a major contributory factor and threat to the achievement of global objectives on food security.
Ambode stated that the greatest challenge to achieving a sustainable reduction in food shortage remains everyone’s ability to mitigate the effects of climate change and also develop new farming strategies that can withstand the effects of climate change.
He stressed that apart from the effects of climate change which threaten an increase in agricultural output, post-harvest losses and wastage is a key issue that must be addressed to ensure sustained food supply.
According to Governor Ambode, one of the measures the State Government is putting in place is the encouragement of the use of reusable plastic crates in place of raffia basket for the carriage of perishable farm produce, adding that the practice is expected to commence across the State from next year.
The Governor disclosed that the collaboration has impacted positively in promoting food security in Lagos State and across the country, stressing that a clear example is the Lake Rice revolution which has contributed in no small measure to the significant reduction in rice importation.
“We will also not relent in providing necessary support to increase the productive capacity of our farmers and other players in the Agric value chain towards achieving a zero hunger world by 2030”, he said.
Earlier in his remarks, the State Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr. Oluwatoyin Suarau said the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World Report which indicates that 821 million people and one out of nine people in the world are undernourished calls for concerted efforts from all players in the agricultural sector to work in harmony to end all forms of hunger and malnutrition.