Stakeholders Collaborate On 250 Hectares For Food Cultivation
The All Farmers Association of Nigeria, AFAN, Lagos State Chapter, is collaborating with the National Agricultural Land Development Authority, NALDA, to cultivate food on 250 hectares of land in Lagos State, Southwestern, Nigeria.
AFAN’s Lagos State Chairman, Dr Femi Oke, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Lagos.
He said the 250 hectares of land would be used during the 2024 planting season to improve food security.
Oke said officials of NALDA had been taken to the land for inspection, adding that land preparation would begin soon.
He noted that the land would be used for rice, maize, and cassava cultivation.
“I want to thank NALDA, who are in charge of agricultural land, they have approached us for land and to assist us in the area of cultivation.
“We prepared some land about two months ago. I was able to take them to the land we have cleared.
“They promised to assist us with some cleaning, which is in respect of rice, maize, and cassava.
“If all these are done, definitely, we farmers will produce more food. Not all farmers can afford huge land preparation if you really want to cultivate on a large scale.
“What we have been doing is small-scale production, but with this, we need support so that we will be able to produce more food on a large scale.
“We are looking at 250 hectares for now in some places because we are not getting them in one cluster,” he said.
The AFAN chairman said the land was located in Orugbo, Igbodu, Epe; Ise, Lagos Island and Igbo-Oye, Ibowo axis, Origonrigan, all in Lagos State.
Oke noted there was a large expanse of land in the majority of the areas that were underutilised.
“We have been able to get one land in Orugbo, close to Itokin axis, in Agbowa, Ikorodu; another one in Igbodu, Epe, and we have been able to secure about 50 hectares there.
“We are working closely again in Igbo-Oye, Ibowo axis, Origonrigan; there are some government land that are not being used, so we are in talk with them, that the land can be used to cultivate during the planting season.
“There is a large expanse of land there that is under utilised. Those are the areas we have been able to identify, and we have been able to talk to NALDA that if the land can be cultivated, it will definitely bring more results in food production.
“We are starting the land preparation soon. We have just gone round to identify those areas that can be used for farming.
“AFAN is working with NALDA on the cultivation of 250 hectares of land for rice, maize, and cassava in the 2024 season, and we have been able to identify some areas
“There’s another land in Ise area on Lagos Island. It is a riverine area where you need a boat to access. They have a very big expanse of land, and it is good for rice cultivation,” he said.
The farmer said the association had requested for a bulldozer to be made available to start the preparation, adding that the majority of the land were virgin and very thick forest.
After the bulldozing the land, we will tractorise and pelletise. Seedling, too, is also important, and we believe the government is working closely with seed companies to give us high yielding and hybrid seeds.
NAN/Shakirat Sadiq
