FOOD SUFFICIENCY: Southern Governors’ Forum Set To Promote Regional Trade

The Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun on Thursday said southern states have decided to promote inter-state and inter-region trade to foster food security and sufficiency.

The governor also disclosed that Ogun State has decided to establish Farmers’ Markets across the state to ensure food security.

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

Governor Abiodun, who is the chairman of the Southern Governors’ Forum (SGF), said that Southern States have no reason not to promote trade among themselves with fertile land and human capacity in the region.

“As a matter of fact, me and my colleagues in the Southern part of Nigeria have met and have said that we have no reason not to promote inter-state or inter-region trade.

“There is no reason why someone from the South East or South South is not buying yam or tomatoes from somebody in the South West. There is no reason why someone from the South West is not buying rice from Ebonyi.

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

Governor Abiodun said that the Farmers’ Market would be located at strategic locations across the state, including Asero in Abeokuta and Ogere along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.

He also said plans have been concluded to move the Kara cattle market from its present location to Ogere, where the cattle merchants can have access to a good atmosphere.

He continued: “Our Ministry of Agriculture is working on establishing a few things, one of which is the Farmers Market at strategic locations across the state, and I think this is another initiative we can collaborate.

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

“We are proposing to move the Kara market to somewhere along there where we have land, and we can provide them with additional land for expansion.

“We believe that with the number of small holder farmers we have in Ogun State, it will be an advantage to them if we have the farmers’ market located in strategic places.”

The Governor noted that his administration sees agriculture as a way of providing food security, create employment and generate revenue, adding that the Federal University of Agriculture should be at the forefront of championing food security, as the purpose for which it was established.

He also promised to collaborate with the institution in some ways, including cassava production, even as he promised that the Iyana-Camp to Alabata road is already under the radar of his administration.

Earlier, Oba Ayorinde Olabomi, while describing Governor Abiodun as one of the best Governors in the country, called for collaboration with the state government at a time when people were clamouring for food.

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

The Pro-Chancellor appealed to GovernorAbiodun to assist the institution by reconstructing the Iyana-Camp to Alabata road, which had been destroyed as a result of activities of trucks.