The Commissioner for Agriculture, Lagos State, Hon. Suarau Isiaka Oluwatoyin has said the state government is ready to key into the new spotlight on agriculture as a tool for youth empowerment.


Suarau, who disclosed this yesterday in his office, during an interview with AgroNigeria, said as part of the state government’s commitment at empowering the youths through agriculture, arrangements are on top gear to establish aquaculture cluster farm in Ayobo,  Alimosho Local Government Area.

He hinted that the fish ponds will be handed over to graduates, undergraduates and youths who have passion for agriculture, especially in the area of aquaculture in the first phase.

According to him, the jobs will be distributed to the youths to keep them from idleness and make them productive residents of the state.

Speaking further, the commissioner said the ministry has devised a means of curtailing cattle rusting in the state by creating a task force that will “arrest stray animals with heavy fines” imposed on their owners as deterrent.

On the state government agriculture agenda, Suarau disclosed that his ministry has 23 Agricultural Value Chains which include: Rice Value Chain, Red Meat Value Chain, Aquaculture Value Chain, Poultry Value Chain, Cassava Value Chain, Wholesale Farmers Market, A meal A Day Programme and so on; saying “they will be fully maximized before the end of this tenure.“

He concluded with a plea to the federal government to come to the aid of poultry farms affected by the bird flu pandemic with adequate compensation for their losses.