The Lagos State Government, South-West Nigeria, has announced plans to mark this year’s World Food Day, with a promise to collaborate with critical stakeholders, particularly farmers to build a sustainable and resilient food system.
The celebration kicked off with a Road Walk today on Wednesday, 8th October 2025. It will be followed by the Lagos Agric Scholars Quiz competition, and later, the grand finale on the 16th of October 2025, at the Police College Parade Ground, Ikeja.
Speaking earlier at a press conference to announce the event, Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Systems, Ms Abisola Olusanya, said that the global event is a reminder of the need for collective action against hunger and malnutrition.
Olusanya mentioned that this year’s theme, “Hand in Hand for Better Foods and a Better Future,” emphasises the urgent need for partnerships across governments, the private sector, development organisations, and communities to transform agro-food systems and promote healthy diets.
She said that “the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has, in the past years, invested in the development of the agricultural ecosystem to ensure optimal exploration of available resources in the state, including the protection of mass land for agricultural utilisation.”
“People tend to see more value using Lagos land for real estate than food farming and such competition is affecting the state’s food security. However, what Mr Governor has done is to earmark specific areas within specific zones in Lagos for Agriculture,” Olusanya said.
Road Walk
The Commissioner noted that the Road Walk was meant to create awareness and sensitise residents about the agricultural potential of the state, and to galvanise residents’ support to further develop the sector.
According to her, “People don’t see Lagos as an agrarian state, but I want to believe that under the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, even across Nigeria, Lagos has been very efficient in Agriculture.
Olusanya said; “Probably, we will be in the same category as Niger State, and so, we want to continue to push that agenda for people to know that the state is an agrarian state, but it may just be in a different form and manner.
“The sensitisation is for people to understand that the shea butter that you use on your skin is from Agriculture; the tyre of your cars and other daily engagements depend on Agriculture, and to also encourage the younger generation to take ownership of the Agric space and celebrate our stakeholders in the Agriculture space who have put in efforts to ensure we have food on our tables.”
Bold Investment
Despite being the smallest state in terms of land mass, Lagos remains the most densely populated state in Nigeria, and feeding the population requires innovative strategies, bold investments, and strong partnerships, according to Olusanya.
Olusanya said that since 2021, when the state launched a five-year Agricultural and Food Systems Roadmap targeting 40% food self-sufficiency by 2025, it has activated numerous transformative intervention programmes geared towards scaling up food production, reducing post-harvest losses, strengthening market linkages, and empowering farmers and youth in the state.
She highlighted some of the intervention programmes and projects to include the implementation of the Food Systems Transformation Agenda, among others.
Olusanya said; “The Agenda focuses on establishing a three-tiered Agro-Marketing System comprising the Lagos Central Food Security Systems and Logistics Hub, Mid-Level Agroproduce Hubs, and Last-Mile Food Distribution Outlets.
“This Agenda serves as a state-level strategy to overhaul the entire food value chain from production, handling, and storage to distribution and consumption, thereby making Lagos State’s food system more resilient, efficient, and sustainable.”
“We also have the Produce for Lagos Programme, a strategic initiative designed to stimulate increased food production for the Lagos market through structured off-take agreements.
“Others include our flagship industrial project, Lagos Rice Mill, Imota, Eko Agro Mechanisation Programme (EKO AGROMECS), Lagos Agripreneurship Programme (LAP), Lagos Agric Scholars Programme (LASP), Cattle Feedlot Project, Lagos Aquaculture Centre of Excellence (LACE), among others,” she stated.
Food Prices
On the fluctuating prices of foodstuffs in the state, the Commissioner attributed the development to irregular rainfall, which she linked to climate change.
Olusanya mentioned that price points have been dropping in the last few weeks but may not be at the expected rate, stressing the need for continuous support for the state government to address the artificial increase in food prices.
She said, “Prices of goods have actually been coming down, maybe not at the rate people expect, but we will continue to monitor and ensure that we can press the button to ensure the food prices come down.”
“We are forging strong collaborations with heads of respective markets in the state, who consistently engage us on current food prices, and we are also using our food hub as a peg to check the food prices, hoping that as we commission more food hubs, we can be able to control the prices.
“The pattern of rainfall this year is not normal. Ordinarily, we should not be having rain now; harvest is supposed to be happening. If rain continues, the harvest will be wiped out, and it means the little food that was available will now become higher in price because of the pattern of rainfall, a result of the effect of climate change.” Olusanya explained
Rice Production
In his remarks, the Special Adviser to Governor Sanwo-Olu on Agriculture and Food Systems, Dr Oluwarotimi Fashola gave insight into rice production and availability in the state. She said that Lagos is currently cultivating rice and partnering with other stakeholders towards ensuring food sufficiency.
Fashola said; “The price of our Eko rice has been lower than the price in the market. Our prices are between 65 and 70 thousand naira considering other attached costs like logistics, among others, but the state will ensure that residents have easier access to the product at the end of the year.
As the population is growing, the quest for housing is also growing. Housing and food are in competition in Lagos, and farmland and foodland are competing in Lagos.”
“We are equal to the task because we are addressing those challenges, as we know our food security must come first, and many thanks to the Governor for backing us,” he said.