An environmentalist,  Mr
Shedrack Madlion, on Thursday in Lagos, appealed to Nigerians to embrace the culture of starting backyard small-scale farming to ensure food security in the country.
Speaking with newsmen Madlion described small-scale farming as another home elementary science, which gave the advantage of knowing how to rear animals and grow plants.
He said that there was a wide gap in the demand and supply food chain due to the growing urban population.
“By embracing small-scale farming in our homes, it shows our support for food security and promoting self-reliance.
“Small-scale farming, keeping garden that produces an abundance of healthy food.
“It makes us to appreciate every food we see on the table, prevents wastage of food, and makes every family to be self-reliant.
“This was the initial practice in most homes in the 80s and 90s; it enabled everybody to contribute towards food security in the country.”
Explaining further, he said that 97.3 per cent of food produced in the country was grown in the rural communities.
“Food production should not be left alone in the hands of the rural dwellers and large-scale farmers.
“Every individual should be able to contribute to food production in the country, most especially in the urban communities.”
He urged the government to ensure that every school in both urban and rural communities maintained gardens that could encourage children to have early interest in farming.
“School gardens will inculcate the culture of farming activity in our children and they will value farming skills,” Madlion said..