The Ondo State government has disclosed that various interventions had been put in place to guide against flooding in the state and to cushion the effects of flooding among farmers to ensure food security in the state.
According to a source in the Ministry of Environment, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the state government has put some measures in place following the recent incidents of flooding in some states across the country.
He said the flood might worsen food insecurity and lead to further increases in food prices across the country but said the state government has constituted a task force to mitigate the effects of flooding in the state.
He said the task force would identify some areas likely to be ravaged by flood as well as provide succour to flood victims and alleviate the suffering of the people, most especially farmers.
Also Speaking, the Special Adviser to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu on Agribusiness, Mr Akin Olotu, said the state government has taken some steps to prevent flooding in the state.
He said: “We’ve had about flooding all over the country and it has been very devastating across the country. We experienced some here too but not too devastating as we have in some states.
“But one good thing that we have observed in Ondo State, most especially in Akure, the state capital and its environs because of the intervention of Mr Governor last year, the effect in terms of destruction of buildings and maybe you have flood carrying away students like we used to have in the time past, that has not taken place in any part of the state this year.
“Due to the effort of the governor in the past three years, he acquired three swap dozers, one for each senatorial district. For instance, look at the channelisation work that Mr Governor did in Akure. So we have easy movement of water, easy passage of flood. The canals were well dredged. That is proactiveness and it has assisted.”
Speaking on the effect of flooding on farms and farmers, he said “Concerning our farmers, the story has not been the same. Roads that lead to our farming communities, some of the culverts have been cut off. Those that even planted rice in lowland areas which we call FADAMA are equally affected.
“Others like fish farmers too, some of them having their ponds in areas too close to the stream, some lost their fishes to the flood There pockets of such occurrence here and there.
He disclosed further that if farmers were not assisted speedily from the havoc wreaked on Agriculture and Agribusinesses by the flooding in some areas, there could be food insecurity in the coming year.
“You know some crops doesn’t require too much water continuously, especially those that planted rice. It has been horrible.
“So I’m appealing to the National Emergency Management Agency, Central Bank of Nigeria and appropriate relief organisations to come to the aid of our farmers in the state and across the country.
“We want to thank the governor because the swamp dozers have really helped. For the past 20 years, you will there is too much rain in the state, maybe students coming from school were swept off but Mr Governor, Arakunrin Akeredolu acquired these swamp dozers and the acquisition has helped tremendously,” he said.
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