Kwara reaffirms commitment to food security and livestock development
The Kwara State Government has reiterated its commitment to ensuring food and nutrition security for its citizens through timely interventions and strategic partnerships with relevant stakeholders aimed at enhancing livestock development within the state.
This reaffirmation came during a meeting held at the Government House in Ilorin, where the State Governor, represented by his Senior Advisor and Councillor, Alhaji Sa’adudeen Salau, engaged with representatives from the Centre for Dryland Agriculture (CDA) at Bayero University Kano.
The meeting saw the participation of key officials, including the Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor, Chief (Mrs.) Bukola Babalola; Special Adviser on Special Duties, Alhaji AbdulRasaq Jidda; and Special Adviser on Media, Alhaji Bashir Adigun, alongside the Kwara L-PRES Project implementation team.
Alhaji Salau expressed optimism about the CDA’s intervention in geospatial exercises, emphasizing its potential to address the ongoing conflicts between herders and farmers. He recognized the vital role these efforts could play in enhancing agricultural production and food security at both federal and state levels.
“The state has benefited immensely from the L-PRES Project, which has filled a crucial gap in the agricultural value chain and supports the government’s aim of improving food productivity and security,” he stated.
Chief (Mrs.) Bukola Babalola praised the Centre’s initiatives in advancing technology-driven livestock and agricultural practices, which aspire to achieve self-sufficiency in food production in Kwara State.
Alhaji AbdulRasaq Jidda urged the CDA team to create a model that could serve as an example for other states, highlighting the government’s interest in adding value to livestock businesses locally.
Meanwhile, Alhaji Bashir Adigun noted the importance of the geo-mapping exercise, which he believes could assist the Federal Government of Nigeria and neighboring West African countries tackle the issues of farmer-herder conflicts while improving agricultural production.
State Project Coordinator, Mr. Olusoji Oyawoye, earlier shared that the CDA team was in the state to conduct a geospatial mapping of transhumance routes under the L-PRES Project initiative. This exercise aims to outline optimal livestock routes to mitigate clashes between farmers and herders.
Responding to these developments, CDA team lead Professor Muritala Gbadamosi stated that their visit was intended to garner support from the state government for a successful exercise, emphasizing that this intervention would bolster the state’s livestock production systems and enhance the efficacy of the L-PRES activities requiring assistance.
