By Fatima Muraina

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As Ondo state government flagged off the 2024 farming season on Monday, stakeholders have called on individuals to adopt mobile farming to tackle the high cost of food in the state.

They applauded the state government for its efforts at ensuring that the state has sufficient food.

The Administrative Secretary, Cocoa Revolution and Management Agency, Mr Omolaki Anthony Oluwole raised the need to  re-jig the system and reactivate agricultural programmes towards food production.

“We have to eat whether you like it or not.

What we realize is that population keeps increasing by the day, so we need to do a lot and increase the interest of our youths, particularly those in schools and the new generation in farming.

 The Iralepo of Isikan in Akure South local government  Oba Oluwagbenga Ojo commended the State Government for flagging off the farming season which he said, will aid bumper harvest.

He said his community intends to put up farm clusters which would involve women and youths  to  encourage them to go into farming .

“We are trying to get land for them and with this programme, we want to get them inputs to plant and once you plant well, God has given us good weather which would guarantee good  harvest to pull down the prices of food.

The State chairman of All Farmers Association, who doubles as the State President of Farmers Congress, Mr Abayomi Monilari called on individuals to embrace urban farming by making use of any available space within their vicinity.

Chairman, Agric and Food Security Committee, Mr Rotimi Akinsola disclosed that the committee will begin to unfold its programmes to engage all colleges to make them return to agriculture

“We are going to make them go into agriculture. Any school that has over one hectare will join the programme.

“We have gone to the Ministry of Education to get us the list of schools in each of the senatorial districts.

“Agriculture is important and we need to encourage our farmers and everyone to embrace it with a view to defeating hunger”, he stated.