In view of the need to drive the success of the School Feeding and Health Programme (O-MEALS) through increased rice production, rice stakeholders and farmers in Osun state have been enjoined to participate in the Strategic Grain Reserve (SGR) initiative of the Federal Government.
This appeal was made by Mrs. Olubunmi Ayoola, the Director and State Operation Officer for Osun Elementary School Feeding and Health Programme – O-MEALS, during a stakeholders meeting organized by the O-MEALS Office in collaboration with Partnership for Child Development (PCD) London.
Mrs. Ayoola while seeking the cooperation and commitment of all the stakeholders particularly the rice farmers, expressed the interest of the O-MEALS office towards increased rice production and support of the farmers as it is a part of the O-MEALS menu, noting that this will have a multiplier effect on the state’s economy as well as drive empowerment of the community.
With Osun silos having the storage capacity of 50,000 metric tonne of quality rice, 3 local government areas in the state comprising of Osogbo, Ejigbo and Atakumosa have been selected as the kick-off communities in anticipation of the Federal Government’s approval according to the Representative, Partnership for Child Development (PCD) in Nigeria, Mrs Abimbola Adesanmi.
Also present at the meeting were the representatives of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, State of Osun Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Ministry of Commerce, Cooperatives and Empowerment as well as O-meals food vendors.