Food Self-Sufficiency: Southern Governors’ Forum to Promote Regional Trade – Abiodun

 

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, on Thursday said the southern states have resolved to promote inter-state and inter-regional trade to foster food security and self-sufficiency.

The governor further disclosed that Ogun State has decided to establish farmers’ markets across the state to ensure food security.

He spoke while receiving in audience the newly constituted Governing Council of the Federal University of Agriculture (FUNAAB), led by the Pro-Chancellor and President, Oba Abdul-Rasheed Ayorinde Olabomi.

Governor Abiodun, Chairman of the Southern Governors’ Forum (SGF), said southern states have no reason not to promote trade among themselves given the fertile land and human capacity in the region.

“In fact, I and my colleagues in the southern part of Nigeria met and said that we have no reason not to promote interstate or interregional trade.

“There is no reason why someone from the South East or South South won’t buy sweet potatoes or tomatoes from someone from the South West. There is no reason why someone from the South West won’t buy rice from Ebonyi.

“We should be able to achieve food security and sufficiency in our region because we have the human capacity and the arable land to do so. There is nothing we do not have to ensure that we achieve this,” he said.

Governor Abiodun said the farmers market will be located at strategic points across the state, including Asero in Abeokuta and Ogere along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.

He also said that plans have been finalised to move the Kara Cattle Market from its current location to Ogere, where cattle traders could have access to a more conducive environment.

He continued, “Our Department of Agriculture is working to establish a few things, one of which is Farmers Markets at strategic locations across the state, and I think that’s another initiative that we can partner with.

“One will be at Asero in Abeokuta. One will be somewhere near the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, which is near Ogere area, which we have also designated as our livestock and ranching area.

“We are proposing to move Kara Market to a nearby location where we have land and can provide them with additional land for expansion.

“We believe that given the number of smallholder farmers we have in Ogun State, it would be to their advantage if our farmers’ market was located in strategic locations.”

The governor stressed that his administration sees agriculture as a way to ensure food security, create jobs and generate revenue, adding that the Federal University of Agriculture should be at the forefront of supporting food security, which is the purpose for which it was established.

He also promised to collaborate with the institution in some ways, including cassava production, while assuring that the road from Iyana-Camp to Alabata is already in the sights of his administration.

Earlier, Oba Ayorinde Olabomi, while describing Governor Abiodun as one of the best governors in the country, had called for the cooperation of the state government at a time when the people were clamoring for food.

The royal father further said that the institution is ready to contribute its quota to ensure food security in the country, urging the state government to take advantage of the numerous training, research and development programmes the institution has to offer.

The Pro-Chancellor appealed to Governor Abiodun to assist the institution in reconstructing the road linking Iyana-Camp to Alabata, which was destroyed by the action of trucks.

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