By Lanre Adesanya
The Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Food Security, Hon.Ganiu Okanlawon Sanni has hinted that Lagos Rice production will jerk up to 200,000metric tonnes by 2017.
He made the assertion while fielding questions posed by newsmen at a press briefing, organized by the Lagos state government Ministry of Agriculture on the proposed ‘Food security summit’, Theme:Actualising sustainable Food Security in Lagos: A New Comprehensive Agenda.
The summit proposed to hold from10th to11th November,2016 is set to realign emerging realities with new global trends on food safety,food processing,food storage, food handling,funding of agribusiness and agric insurance.
Raising fears of the unhygienic status of 90percent of rice consumed by Lagosians and by extension Nigerians, Okanlawon stated “that Lagosians consumes 90 percent plastic not wholesome rice now, but by the time we are done with padhi rice from Kebbi, we will consuming nutritious wholesome rice for once in our lifetime, prior to now only 10percent of our rice consumption is really hygienic.
Between December and January we should be able to deliver ‘LAKE RICE’ coined out of our Lagos and Kebbi state partnership, for which a Memorandum was recently signed by the duo.
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Okanlawon noted that,” the state produce 2.5metric tonnes of rice per hour prior to now but it will be upscaled to 42.5metric tonnes, as a 40metric tonnes production capacity is meant to be put in place by December 2016″.
He noted that commercial farmers contribute 12percent to the state’s Gross Domestic Product.
Adding that the summit is intended to showcase Lagos as an haven for investment.
” The summit is also expected to provide a veritable platform for discourse on various investment opportunities in agricultureand agro-allied business in the State with the aim of stimulating private investment in the sector and ultimately optimize its vast agro-allied potentials.
“Our FADAMA scheme is working on the production of Rice scheme to extend services to other states in the Southwest part of the country.
“51,000metric tonnes of Rice will be made available to Lagosians by December this year and we purpose migrating to 200,000metric tonnes through our partnership with private investors by 2017”.
He added that Lagos state has also acquired 2000hectares of land for commercial cattle fattening Omi Adio in Oyo state.