By Monsur Olowoopejo
AS Nigerians weekend joined the rest of the world  in celebrating the World Food Day, Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State has called on Nigerians to engage in farming  by setting aside a portion of land in their houses to practice small scale farming.

Fashola, who spoke at the 2011 World Food/Agric show organised by the state government themed; ‘Food Prices: from crisis to stability’, at Ikeja, said “one major ways to end food insecurity in the country, is for Nigerians to engage in one farming business or the other.”

He added that it is essential for Nigerians irrespective of who they are to reserve a portion of land in their various houses for growing crops.

According to the governor who was represented by the state Head of Service, Mr Adesegun Ogunlewe, “I urge Nigerians to have small gardens around their houses where they can plant vegetables and edible-fruits such as: Pitanga, cherry and trees like cocoanut, cashew and others to landscape their houses and surroundings.

“In the urban areas, where there is space constraint we could practice vertical farming and improvise small trays and boxes place on terraces and balconies to plant vegetable and small fruits besides their ornament plants,” fashola added.

While speaking on the measures embarked upon by the state government in tackling food crisis in the state, the governor said  “the state government launched Agricultural Youth Empowerment Scheme AGRIC–YES to teach graduate and under graduate in the state modern method of farming which will in turn boost food production.”

He noted that this educated entrepreneurial young farmers will replace ageing farmers.

Fashola added that in order to increase the number of young farmers in the state, the government has included the summer school programme for secondary school pupils in the state.

“The first edition of the programme which commenced this year, witnessed the participation of 60 students and 10 officials who were drawn from the six educational district of the state.”

In his remarks, the state Commissioner for Agriculture and Cooperative, Mr. Gbolahan Lawal noted that the year’s World Food is unique due to the remarkable improvement in the output of the farmers. Lawal added that the state government was determined to support farmers in the state with provision of facilities that would enhance their farm outputs.