Experts Chide Residents On Embracing Urban Farming

A former Commissioner for Youth and Social Development in Lagos State, Mr Agboola Dabiri, has urged residents of the state to embrace urban farming.
Dabiri said this at an agriculture empowerment programme organised by members of Ajowa Community Development Association (CDA) in Surulere area of Lagos State, in collaboration with Africanfarmer Mogaji, recently in Lagos.
According to him, embracing urban farming will increase  and better their livelihood. adding, the empowerment programme is titled: “Farm and Profit”.
In his lecture titled, “Global Farming without Boundaries”, Dabiri said  residents must begin to create space for farming in  homes, balconies, compounds and garages.
He said agriculture was a huge value chain that included production, processing, marketing, distribution, packaging and many more.
Dabiri urged the residents to develop a passion in any of the value chains to  better their lots.
“I don’t know the last time I bought lemon in Abuja. What I did was, I planted seeds in an old sack and that is what I have been using in my home.
“In Masha, here in Surulere, we have the biggest fruit farmers in Lagos. They are very organised and you can also join them by simply identifying where you belong.
“Also, in Surulere, we have one of the largest ram market and I am a member, because I also rear animals.
“You have to look at where you belong and explore all the potential in agriculture. During the last Ileya festival, I sold rams and I made profits, you too can do that. Agric is very profitable.
“I buy my ram myself; rear it myself and give it to my boys to sell during festival. I have already started rearing ram against next festival.
“Residents  of Surulere must come together and see how they can promote urban farming and contribute to the food self-sufficiency of the state”.
He commended the Chairman of  Ajowa CDA, Mr Tunji Adebayo, for organising empowerment programmes for members of his association.
Also speaking, Mr Africanfarmer Mogaji urged the people  at the local government level to embrace agriculture in order to feed the nation.
Mogaji, in his presentation titled ‘Farm and Profit’, urged people in the urban area to embrace agriculture by way of processing, marketing, distribution, packaging and production.
He said majority of people in the South-West zone were consumers of agricultural produce and not generating enough income from agriculture, because of lack of understanding.
“There are  lots of opportunities in agriculture that remain untapped and  people need to look beyond farming”, he said.
In his remarks, Mr Suleimon Bamidele, Chairman, Surulere Local Government Area, lauded  the CDA and the council’s support for continuation of the programme.
Bamidele, who was represented by Mr Abayomi Ambali, Senior Special Adviser to the Chairman on Agriculture, noted  that the council would continue to promote and support agricultural policies.