Lagos State government has assured of immense support for Agric ecosystem in the new year with commitment to build more Agripreneurs that will further develop the state economy.
The state government said that it will also activate coconut processing plant, increase food processing hubs, organise Apiculture training as well as scale up Rice production in the state by forging partnership with stakeholders.
Speaking at a Food System Breakfast with stakeholders on the projects, programmes and initiatives for the year 2024, the State Commissioner for Agriculture, Ms. Abisola Olusanya said that the whole idea is to avail them with the plans of the government aimed at enhancing the capacity of the food system of Lagos.
Abisola maintained that the need to plan for the future is important particularly in the area of securing food production and sustenance in Lagos and Nigeria, stressing that government must begin to support the real stakeholders that can galvanize the development of the sector.
She said Lagos State, being one of the largest economy in Africa must have its market scaled up to meet the global standard and that has led to the adequate attention paid to the sector by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration.
“When you talk of Agric Business Support you will understand the fact that the sector has been hit very hard and there is always something that I believe in there, is three pillars, the Food, Security and Health, but without food, every other levels will fall.
“Agriculture holds the key to this nation’s continual existence and having passed through some challenges, the state realised that entrepreneurs in the system have gone through so many challenges to stabilise thier businesses especially during COVID-19 and food strike, with the exorbitant cost of feeds, for poultry, fisheries, piggeries and other value chains that are badly hit by the high cost of feeds.
“The ideas is how do we give better support. The way we give to those that have little passion for the sector and continue to push things their ways is not yielding results, that is not truly empowerment. Empowerment is those who have the capacity and passion to do the work and can employ more people, those are the people we will start to help.
Such that you can measure their productivity because they are accessible, we should begin to support our business men and women and we will get to the utopian that we want.” she said
Red Meat Value chain
On the Red Meat Value chain, Abisola noted that it is a sector that involved huge finance and large returns if properly done and the state is aware of this and is working to set up a Feedlot to make this happen.
She said “Lagos State consume the most meat in Nigeria and we are the market of red meat in West Africa. Currently, Lagos State has about 750 hectares of land that we acquired in Igbodu in Epe, going into the hinterland particularly the virgin land. We are trying to do things differently now so that allocation can be given to the appropriate individuals that needed the land to produce.
We must make the Agriculture appealing to the young and old to key into the sector to enable it develop further, those who have mechanised abbattoirs to train the youth in such a way that they can take on the trade.”
Food destination Hub
The Commissioner re-echoed that Lagos remains the destination of West Africa, with its market and population strength and must look at alternatives to grow the agricultural space.
She said the Mushin Agric Hub which was commissioned late last year will be fully activated, as the state is planning seamless integration of the market and consumers.
Olusanya said “It is an organised market and in organising the market we must ensure that demand meet supply and supply meet demand, people make money, and consumers are happy and satisfied
“And the way of the Government can come all the way of regulation is to ensure that systems and processes are out in place and they are checks and balances.”
Oyenike Oyeniyi
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