S/West Farmers, DAWN Commission Collaborate on Food Security

Southwest Commodity Farmers Organisation and the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission met in Ibadan on Tuesday to forge synergy on ways to improve food security in the region.

Dawn Commission was primarily set up by the six Southwest states; Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo, to midwife integration and working together.

The DAWN Commission chairman, Mr Seye Oyeleye, said the collaboration aimed to bring several agriculture associations together under one roof and streamline their activities for achievable results.

The meeting addressed challenges facing farmers in the region, seeking ways forward and a strategic plan.

Oyeleye noted that unified leadership would help harness benefits, unlike previous years when governments were uncertain which organisations to engage.

While highlighting that over 11 associations agreeing to collaborate, the chairman said “we aren’t competing; we want self-sufficiency, and food security requires teamwork.”

He announced the upcoming Farmers General Assembly to make informed decisions for 2026 farming activities.

Prince Olusegun Asaolu, President of Southwest Commodity Farmers Organisation, emphasised consensus-building for improved agriculture.

‘When you want to move forward, you must talk, agree,’ he said.

According to Asaolu and two other farmers leaders from Osun and Lagos states, Otunba Gabriel Ogunsanya and Mrs Omotayo Ajoba respectively,
climate change calls for concerns, urging government support for irrigation and modern inputs to engage youths.

Asaolu, noted that Southwest is blessed with earth dams and have the River Basin Authority in its domain.

“Therefore, our government needs to develop these earth dams and synergise with the farmers so that they will be engaged as it is happening in other places throughout the year in producing food”, he said”.

Ogunsanya sought for prompt and urgent assistance from government in the area of modern agriculture inputs and irrigation system, noting that youths are not encouraged about the present archaic method of agriculture.

Ajoba asserted that farmers must embrace irrigation system for them to succeed in the period of climate change agriculture, thereby urged government at all levels in the region to look into the plights of farmers as regards irrigation.