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By Lukman Olabiyi
Group of agriprenuers under the umbrella of Ikorodu Broilers Hub Cooperative and Multi-purpose Society has called for implementation of farmer-friendly policies by the government in order to tackle food scarcity ravaging the country,
This call was made at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the association for the year 2022, held yesterday in Ikorodu, Lagos.
Making the call on Thursday, on behalf of others farmers, Dr. Abmbola Oluwole Banjo, the Acting President of the union, said the farmers were unphased by the current economic challenges facing the country but remained hopeful that things would turn around for better soon.
“We are not immune to the political and economic challenges of 2022, particularly in our volatile agricultural industry. We are grateful to have survived. Even though we have reached the third quarter of 2023, we remain unphased by the current economic challenges and remain hopeful. We have faith that the newly elected President Bola Ahmed Tinubu led administration of the Federal Government and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu led administration in Lagos State will implement farmer-friendly policies that promote food production while minimizing obstacles.
“In addition to the ongoing Ikorodu Broilers Hub /Lagos State Employment Trust Fund /AMO broiler production project, we shall engage the state government and its agencies, private funders and investors to help us to empower more of our members to achieve maximum capacity utilization of their farm infrastructure.
“We require technical support in constructing our own feed mills, obtaining inputs like grains and soybeans, establishing a meat/chicken processing facility, generating branded packaged processed chicken to compete with imported frozen chicken, and accessing soft loans. Ultimately, our goals are to create employment, increase farmers’/households’ income, eradicate poverty and hunger in our environment and in Nigeria”, he said.
The Permanent Secretary of the state Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives, Mrs Adetutu Ososanya, who was represented by Mrs Onafeko Adebisi, urged the cooperators to maximise all the opportunities made available to them to project their businesses and contribute their quota to the society.
She pledged the state government support for them , by providing enabling environment to allow them to thrive.
Ososanya urged the farmers to play by the rules of game of cooperative, and remain focus so, as to achieve their aims and objectives.
