Food Security: Kwara Plans Back-to-farm Scheme In Schools

The Kwara State government is planning operation green revolution in the state through an agricultural scheme to be tagged ‘ school gardening and farming ‘.

LEADERSHIP gathered that the programme aimed at encouraging people to return to backyard farming and inculcate the act of farm practice in the children right from primary school.

It was gathered that some government officials had recently held a meeting in Ilorin, the state capital, to finalise arrangements on the planned school farming initiative.

LEADERSHIP learnt that the government officials at the meeting discussed the need for all schools in the state to actively engage in school gardening and farming to help students develop interest in farming.

The Kwara State Committee on Food and Nutrition (SCFN) was said to have initiated the proposal on the school gardening and farming.

When contacted, the acting chairman of the SCFN, Alh AbdulBarka Ibrahim, who is also a director at  the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development,  said the initiative was  part of efforts of the state government to increase the nutrition of citizens and eradicate the scourge of malnutrition from the state.

” The State Government has charged all schools across the state to encourage students to partake in school gardening and farming as these will strengthen food security in the state,” he said.

Ibrahim noted that school farming is necessary to change young people’s narrative and mindset about farming.

A director in the state civil service who was at the meeting, Alhaji Alimi Surajudeen,  said that, “school farming is a good initiative to reduce hunger and boost nutrition in the state.”