Lagos State government has appealed to secondary school pupils within the state to advance toward becoming a productive agricultural labor force in adulthood, a move that would solve the problem of unemployment and aid in the replacement of aging farmers.
Acting Commissioner for Agriculture Abisola Olusanya made this call at the School Quiz Competition, which was organized by the State Ministry of Agriculture as part of the activities marking Lagos State’s 2020 World Food Day Celebration.
World Food Day is celebrated worldwide every year on October 16 to commemorate the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations in 1945. The theme for this year’s celebration is “Grow, nourish, sustain. Together.
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Olusanya noted that the importance of the Quiz Competition cannot be overemphasized as it aims to further stimulate the interest of students in agriculture by encouraging them to acquire and recall information on its various aspects, such as improved agricultural techniques and innovations.
“I am sure that all the students here are aware of the huge potentials that exist in Nigeria’s agricultural sector and the strategic position of the various stakeholders within the various agricultural value chains.”
She pointed out that the state government is committed to the attainment of sustainable food production, wealth and job creation through youth and women empowerment with significant private sector involvement.
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The acting commissioner added that the State Development Plan in Agriculture involves boosting local food production from 18 to 25 percent of the state’s food demand by the year 2025.
The competition was won by Surulere’s Ansar-ud-deen Senior High School, while Badagry’s Ajara Senior Grammar School came in second and Dopemu’s Abibat Mogaji Millennium Secondary School took third.
Mary Aluko of Comprehensive Senior High School in Ketu Alapere emerged the overall best student in the competition.
