Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, has emphasized the significance of Agricultural Engineering in ensuring food security in Nigeria and promoting economic growth through innovation.
He made these remarks during a courtesy visit by the National Chairman of the Nigerian Institution of Agricultural Engineers (NIAE), Prof Folarin Alonge, and members of the institution to his office at the Round House Alausa, Ikeja.
Hamzat stressed the importance of producing what the citizens can consume and consuming what they produce for the country’s development. He also highlighted that no nation can thrive without a functional engineering system.
“As a people, we must ensure that we produce what we eat because without producing what we eat, it will be difficult to have food sustainability and security. Every state must now come up with whatever advantage they have to make sure that they are able to produce something,” he stated.
The deputy governor highlighted the administration’s achievements in agriculture, particularly mentioning the Eko Rice Mills in Imota. He noted that the mills, when operating at full capacity, would produce 2.5 million 50kg bags of rice per year. However, he acknowledged the challenges faced by Lagos State, which occupies only 0.34 per cent of the country’s landmass and has a significant water area, along with 10-11 per cent of the nation’s population.
Hamzat revealed plans to construct the largest Agricultural hub where farmers and traders can easily transact business with various food items, animals, and livestock. Additionally, he mentioned the provision of facilities to track animals coming into Lagos from different parts of the country in order to detect diseases.
The deputy governor emphasized the importance of Agricultural Engineers in achieving agricultural success, stating that innovation and engineering are essential for the desired change in the nation’s agricultural sector. He expressed pride in the development of the Imota Rice Mill, highlighting its productivity and sustainability.
In his remarks, Prof. Folarin Alonge, the National Chairman of the Nigerian Institution of Agricultural Engineers, expressed the institution’s readiness to support the state in training and capacity building for agricultural engineers and experts employed by the state government, both nationally and internationally. He emphasized the role of engineers, especially Agricultural Engineers, in bringing ingenuity and innovation to the agricultural sector’s development.
He also noted the significance of engineering in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Africa Agenda 2063, which both require engineering solutions to harness the full potential of Nigerian agriculture.
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