Southwest governors have revealed a comprehensive plan to increase food production in the region to combat the high prices of staple foods.
Drawing inspiration from the agricultural focus of the pre-independence period and the First Republic, the states will prioritize rice, maize, cassava, and poultry farming. Additionally, dormant dams in the region will be revitalized for irrigation purposes.
Last week, Grassroots Parrots reported that President Bola Tinubu gave governors a one-week deadline to present a realistic template for boosting food production in their states.
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An investigation by The Nation has shown that governors from Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo, and Ekiti, under the Southwest Governors’ Forum, have instructed their agriculture commissioners to build on the plans developed during a May meeting in Ibadan.
The Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission convened the Ibadan meeting, where states exchanged ideas on increasing food production.
Agreed strategies included clearing large farmlands, creating farm units, strengthening the Amotekun security outfit to protect farmers, and promoting large-scale production of short-term crops such as maize, sweet potatoes, and vegetables.
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The governors also plan to revitalize moribund dams for irrigation, improve mechanization across the value chain, adopt a cluster farming model, expand input distribution, and establish an electronic agriculture database.
The governors are expected to finalize strategies for clearing cluster farmlands this week. Each state has committed to supporting farmers in clearing at least 1,000 hectares of farmland.
The cluster farming model, which benefits from economies of scale, will simplify farm security through Amotekun, ease the collection of produce, and eliminate middlemen, ultimately reducing food prices. Initially, the focus will be on rice, maize, cassava, and poultry farming to alleviate food inflation pressures.
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The states agreed on cluster farming as a solution to insecurity and a key to achieving economies of scale. They will engage smallholder farmers, providing them with support for land clearing, seeds, and security.
The initiative also includes developing irrigation to enable year-round farming rather than relying solely on rainfall.
Ekiti State has already made progress by clearing many acres of land, while Oyo State is offering an incentive: clearing one acre of land free for every acre cleared by a farmer.
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In addition, the states plan to strengthen and enforce anti-grazing laws to boost farmer confidence.
This week, the governors are set to submit their detailed plans to President Tinubu, who has expressed the Federal Government’s willingness to support the states in enhancing food production.