By Julius Alabi, Akure
Succour may have come the way of the people of Ondo State as hunger would soon be a thing of the past following the approved constitution of “Agriculture and Food Security Committee.”
Already, the committee has since swung into action on its terms of reference as the state Governor, Hon Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa is all out to ensure that no family in the state goes to bed with empty stomach.
The approval of the constitution of the committee by Governor Aiyedatiwa was in continuation of the efforts of the State Government towards combating the rising cost of food items and promoting all round agricultural development to ensure food security in the state.
Members of the committee are:
1. Mr. Rotimi Wemimo Akinsola – Chairman
2. Rev. Gideon Oluleye – Vice Chairman
3. Mr. Abayomi Monilari – Member
4. Mr. Obaweya Gbenga – Member
5. Mr. Fabiyi Omolade – Member
6. Prof. Adefolakemi Gabriel-Ajobiewe – Member
7. Chief Abiodun Adejo – Member
8. Mr. Gbenga Akingbasote, – Member/Secretary
9. Mrs. F.O Tunde-Daramola – Member/Co-Secretary
10. Mrs. Tayo Ogundare – Secretariat Staff
The terms of reference include: to advise on immediate and sustainable measures to bring down the rising costs of food stuff and to strategically engage all relevant actors/stakeholders in the agri-food sector with a view to developing a long-term food security plan for the State.
Other responsibilities of the committee include making recommendations on how to attract and retain the younger generation in agribusiness and its entire value chain; formulating policies that would help boost food production and nutrition in line with global best practices; facilitating the procurement and distribution of food production and nutrition in palliatives; and making any other recommendation(s) as may be appropriate to ensure food security in the State.
Meanwhile, the Ondo State Executive Council had recently approved the sum of N3.47 billion counterpart funds for the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP).
The RAMP project would see many feeder roads asphalted to connect rural dwellers to cities and drive the economy of the State through Agriculture.