Diversification: Kwara Lawmakers’ Proactive Step Towards Achieving Food Security

Diversification: Kwara Lawmakers’ proactive step towards achieving food security

By Shuaib Abdulkadir

The Kwara State House of Assembly, particularly the 8th Legislature, for the umpteenth time has not only proven its acumen in lawmaking business, but the members have on several occasions demonstrated to other lawmakers in Nigeria how things should be done to impact positively on the lives of their constituents.

This, the 8th Assembly has done efficiently and seemingly
effortlessly, through several important motions raised and bills passed in the last two years.

Despite the House not having any opposition member, the 8th Assembly under Rt. Hon. Dr. Ali Ahmad’s leadership  always expresses its
determination and commitment to leaving good legacies behind and
importantly surpassing their predecessors’ achievements.

For the lawmakers ,”thinking out of the box ” and “walking the talk”
are not mere catchphrases or slogans but indicators of collective desire to achieve enviable heights without necessarily reinventing the wheel. It is trite wisdom  that Kwara State , indeed Nigeria, is blessed and endowed with agricultural potentials and possibility.

Volumes of farm produce go to waste yearly as farming in the country remain devoid of critical value chain.

In walking the talk of the need for Kwara State to achieve its potentials as agriculture hub , the legislators on Thursday, 3rd of August 2017  inaugurated their private farm, Dodo Integrated Farm situated at Agogo village in Ejidongari, Moro Local Government Area of the state. The initiative, it is believed, is the first of its kind in the history of legislature in Nigeria with 300 hectares of farmland cultivated by the lawmakers largely for production of soya beans and
maize.

The idea, conceived about four months ago was initially received with
misgivings when the speaker first mentioned it on the floor as many
believed it was another form of playing politics with people’s psyche.
On the other hand, the legislators were unperturbed as they gradually
went on with their plans to proof to the world that the idea was
realisable with sheer commitment and determination.

Equally, it was a great way of demonstrating to thousands unemployed
Kwarans that agriculture is another way to display their potentials, be their own boss and earn legitimate money rather than waiting endlessly for white shrinking white  collar jobs.

Fortunately, it was about the time when the Kwara State Government
received N1 billion Agric loan facility from the Central Bank of
Nigeria and interested farmers were called upon to apply. The
lawmakers also took advantage of the facility and began the
implementation of Dodo Integrated Farm. Since then, it has been a
success story.

Conducting journalists round the farm recently, the Speaker, Rt. Hon.
Dr. Ali Ahmad who expressed satisfaction with the level of work done
at the farm said that the lawmakers were convinced to expend huge
amount of money in commercial agriculture as a result of the need to
diversify national economy.

Disclosing that the lawmakers obtained N40 million agricultural loan
Dr. Ahmad stressed that it was high time every Nigerians saw farming
as a must for the nation to attain food security and economic
buoyancy.

The Speaker further disclosed that the legislators have also concluded
arrangements to embark on cultivation of maize and beans, adding that
their visit to the farm was to create awareness on the need for
interested individuals to emulate the initiative of the lawmakers.

Particularly, he stated that engaging in farming would unlock the key
potentials in every individual and especially among the unemployed
youths who are hellbent on securing  white collar jobs.

He also charged local government chairmen and workers in the country
to embrace practical agricultural practices with a view to boost food
security and discourage idleness in their respective councils.

As the state prepares for council polls by November 4th, the speaker
further charged the electorate to vote for only local government
chairmanship candidates with agricultural plans for their areas.

“Local government election is coming in the state. Ask anyone
contesting for chairmanship position what he plans to do with Head of
Department Agric, farm and about 100 supervisors for Agric, and staff
going to local
government councils to sit down and lazy away. We have been blaming
the federal government and state governments. The NLC in charge of
labour should rise up.

“Kwara should challenge incoming local government chairmen what they
want to. Each local government can have about 300 to 500 hectares of
farmland to cultivate. See us. We are only 24, and there are many of
them in local government councils. They can easily pay workers salary
from the proceeds of the agricultural activities”.

In his remarks, the Chairman, Dodo Integrated Farm Board of Trustees,
Hon. Kamaldeen Fagbemi said the board was established to ensure
monitoring of the farm and allow for transparency.

The Chairman, House Committee on Water and Agriculture, Hon. Ishyaku
Aliyu Adams said  the lawmakers acquired 750 hectares of land and
would soon embark on maize production.

While commending members for their support and cooperation since the
commencement of the project, he also appreciated the Speaker for
believing in the committee members’ ability to deliver on the gigantic
project.

Also speaking, the state Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural
Resources, Mr. Bamidele Adegoke who underscored the determination of
the Kwara State Government in using agriculture to stimulate the
economy, through wealth creation pledged government continuous support
to provide necessary support to ensure the farm succeed.

Similarly, the Senior Special Assistant to the governor on Legislative
Matters, Hon. Kayode Omotoshe lamented the situation where Nigeria was
importing N1 billion worth of rice consumption per day, noting that
God has blessed the country with arable land to cultivate whichever
crop either for consumption or export to other countries and get
foreign exchange.

It is noteworthy to state that the legislator’s initiative would
undoubtedly serve as encouragement to individuals, groups and thousand
agile youths in the state who probably could have lost hope about
their future or hell-bent on securing white collar jobs.

Also, it is expected that Kwara State House of Assembly members would
sustain the tempo by improving on the challenges encountered and
further strive to increase on their present size of farmland, which
would in no small measure serve as big achievement for their
predecessors to work towards.

Similarly, it behoves on other houses of assembly in the country to
emulate their Kwara counterpart’s efforts and see the idea as a way of
improving their various state through practical agricultural
practices.

It is pertinent to point out that agriculture is the only activity the
constitution permits civil servants and  political office holders and
others  to engage in; therefore, it was an easy decision for the
legislators to delve into farming by establishing their  farm as a way
of contributing their quota to improving  food production in Kwara and
Nigeria at large.

Shuaib Abdulkadir Is the Special Assistant on Media to the Kwara State House of Assembly