Experts charge government on use of data in tackling hunger, unemployment
A call has gone out to the Federal and various state governments of the country to embrace the use of data in the planning and execution of programmes to tackle hunger and meeting the food needs of the people.
Giving the advise at the launch of FoodCrowdy, a concept of getting quality food from the rural areas to other parts of the country where they are needed at affordable price and on time, at the Sheraton Hotels, in Lagos, Mr. Tobi Fapohunda, the founder of the organisation said the use of data has helped them identify places where they can get all kinds of food stuffs in the country and has also helped them to identify areas where the different food stuffs are needed to get it to the places at the fastest possible time.
According to him, data has been of immense value in their efforts to grow the business which was born as a result of the needs that was identified in the country during the covid-19 lockdown and it started in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, with the concept of knowing people who needs the various kinds of food and helping to source it for them from various parts of the country through communication network.
Describing data as the next lifeline for agro-business in Nigeria, Fapohunda noted that the use of data has helped since inception to reach over a thousand persons in Port Harcourt since inception in August and that they have a target to reach about 10 million households in the country monthly by 2022, assuring that their motto is buy quality, buy affordable, buy smart.
While promising that his organisation will get the various food stuffs to every home in Lagos and other parts of the country at far cheaper prices than is obtainable even in Mile 12 market, which is the hub of foodstuff in Lagos and its environ, the expert in Data Analytic noted that, “One thing we are doing together as a people is to use this data to help the government with intelligence.
“I will tell you one instance, if you are able to tell the farmer that 100,000 tubers of yams are consumed in Lagos State and you are able to channel it to the government, government will now say why are we giving them on million tons of fertilizers in January, why are we not giving it to them at the time when they are trying to increase production, so that for me is where the power is, that is the analytic.
“The government is doing a lot, like the government of Lagos State have started, they are partnering on Lake Rice, with people to ramp up on food security as a nation and for me personally, my strategy will not be shut down the borders for food not to come in, let us make it competitive, this is one of the values that we drive, quality price.
“I am thankful for the government, on what they are doing with the railways, you heard Yuri speaking from Russia, in all advanced countries, the railway system helps to improve food distribution within Moscow city, in picking it from the rural areas and taking it to locations far away, it has been able to reduce the distance and the transportation cost.
“So for you to be food secure you need to work data smart and that is my advice to the government,” he said.
Fapohunda said that though his organisation does not own farms, but that it supports farmer during post planting and pre-harvesting to maximize the output towards building food sufficiency in the country.
In her opening remarks at the event which was supported by the Unity Bank, and other organizations, the Lagos State Commissioner for Commerce, Industries and Cooperatives, Hon. Mrs Lola Akande assured that the Lagos State government was working round the clock at ensuring food sufficiency not only for residents of the state, but also for others in the country.
Mrs Akande who was represented by the Deputy Director, Agric and Cooperatives in the Ministry, Mrs Osiefa Akinbanjo noted that food is a very important requirement for every one in the society, but that without the farmers there will be nothing on the table, adding however, that when the farmers plant, but no one to get it from the rural areas the problem would not have been solved.
Other speakers at the event include, Mr. Yuri who spoke via skype from Moscow, Rusia, on how they government of Moscow is tackling food challenge in the covid-19 era, Mr. Blessing Oladeji of Octave Analytical, who spoke on Data driven Agrotech, Prof Adeshina Shoye, President of Computer Society of Nigeria, who spoke on the role of technology in driving Agric Business, Mr. Lai Labode of Cash Token Africa among others.
