SW Governors finally decide on food security measures

The governors of six states in the South West (SW) which includes Ekiti, Ondo, Osun, Oyo Ogun and Lagos have gone to drawing board to provide lasting solution to challenges confronting food insecurity created by the activities of herders and kidnapers in the region.

 In a communiqué issued by the DAWN commission, the convener of the virtual meeting held March 2^nd by the representatives of four Governors who brainstorm on food insecurity situation in the region and proferred about eight resolutions to remedy the situation. Among are

1.                                              

The states have agreed to strengthen the Amotekun corps in order to confront the renewed onslaught on our farmers working in conjunction with existing security agencies.

2.       The meeting also agreed to call on the security agencies to ensure that they do not relent in their effort in apprehending the criminal elements responsible for the incessant attacks and economic sabotage of the region’s agricultural economy.

3.       Farmers’ lives matter, the meeting agreed that everything must be done to ensure that our farmers are safe and can return to farms.

4.       That farmers and produce sellers must be allowed to carry out their trade within the ambit of the law and without any encumbrance and anyone attempting to disrupt such must be decisively death with.

5.       The states are fully aware of their responsibilities in ensuring that their people have access to food in abundance and will continue to provide the enabling environment for such to be available in abundance.

6.       That the states have noted with concern seeming threats to food supply chain but will like to assure the people in the Region that adequate measures are being taken to ensure that people are not adversely affected in the medium to long term.

7.       The states have agreed to work assiduously together in order to simplify access to land in the Region for would be investors in Agriculture.

8.       The states are working hard at putting some critical dams in the region into active use to move our agriculture away from rain dependant to water dependent, within the next three weeks we should be seeing action in some on this

Present at the meeting were the commissioners of agriculture, Ekiti and ondo states, Messrs. Adebayo Adewole and Olabode Adetoyi, with Special Adviser to Ondo Governor, Prince Akin Olotu and Executive Adviser to the Governor, Oyo state, Dr. Debo Akande. Also present were Mr. Jide Arowosafe and Gbenga Osobu of Southwest Agricultural Company among others.