In a bid to positively empower and engage restless youths, the Lagos State Government, through the Ministry of Agriculture, has initiated the School Agric Programme (SAP) for public schools in the state.
Speaking at a meeting held recently in his office at Alausa with School Principals, Vice Principals and Agricultural Science Teachers in public schools, the State Commissioner for Agriculture, Hon. Toyin Suarau said agriculture is the only sector that can engage many of our youths and it is pertinent to make it more attractive to them.
He said the government is ready to produce Agropreneurs in the various agricultural value chains such as poultry, aquaculture as well as crop production through the SAP in public schools, adding that the purpose of the project is to train students in modern farming methods, as well as stimulate their interest and awareness in agriculture.
The Commissioner disclosed that presently 52 SAP projects have been established in 48 schools across the state and government is set to establish additional 39 in different value-chains to make up 91 agricultural projects in public schools.
“The 2016 financial year has provided for 39 SAP projects in 39 schools out of the 48 schools that are already benefiting from the programme. We intend to empower Six (6) schools in poultry inputs, another Five (5) with fisheries inputs and the remaining 28 with vegetables inputs.”
“The development of both practical and commercial skills in agriculture need to be promoted with the aim of empowering students with cognate knowledge of agriculture to compliment the theoretical aspect taught within the walls of the classrooms”, the Commissioner said.
He stressed that SAP project aim at ensuring that the students’ future involvement in agricultural activities is guaranteed as the farming population is now growing old.
“The result of this aging population is low productivity, low adoption of improved technologies and poor modern input utilization”, he emphasized.
The Commissioner disclosed further that Lagos has a large demand-supply gap for agriculture products and therefore requires a younger farming population with the ability to improve food production in the State.
While noting that the state produces only 10% of its food demand and the target is to increase the aggregate internal food production to 25%, Suarau maintained that the SAP project and other youth empowerment programmes will contribute to food production and security in the state.
“Apart from keeping the youths off the street by channelling their abundant energy towards productive agricultural ventures, the SAP projects will also ensure the effective utilization of our green areas and unused spaces within public secondary school and assists the schools in their income generating activities”.
He however urged the teachers to make good use of the opportunities presented by the programme to empower the students, adding that this will make them see agriculture as a business and not as subsistence.
The Commissioner reiterated that it is the desire of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode led administration to ensure food security and provide an enabling environment for the people to have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to maintain a healthy life style.
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