Lagos reaffirms commitment to 40% food self-sufficiency by 2025

• As outlined in the roadmap launched by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in 2021, the government will allocate funds to agricultural service providers, enhance rice paddy production, and foster collaboration on land banking with sister states
  

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The Lagos State government remains dedicated to realizing 40% food self-sufficiency by 2025 through the implementation of the five-year agricultural and food systems roadmap.

Abisola Olusanya, the Commissioner for Agriculture, affirmed this commitment during the Lagos Food Systems Stakeholders’ Breakfast Meeting on Thursday.

As outlined in the roadmap launched by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in 2021, the government will allocate funds to agricultural service providers, enhance rice paddy production, and foster collaboration on land banking with sister states.

“We will go live on eight projects, which include Central Logistics Hub, Lagos Aquaculture Centre of Excellence (LACE), capacity building for horticulture stakeholders, full operations and capacity building for stakeholders in the Lagos Food Production Centres.

“Others are the execution of state-wide intervention and Green Wall Initiative,” she said.

Ms Olusanya listed others as the establishment of the Agricultural Value Chains Entreprise Activation Programme, Agri-thon, Lagos Cares, Lagos Entrepreneurship Programme and the Lagos Agric Scholars Programme.

“The state government will also create the Lagos Agrinnovation Clusters, the Food Value Chains’ Destination, the Lagos Central Food Security System and Logistics Hub and the Middle-Level Agro Product Hub.”

Ms Olusanya said part of the roadmap was to increase the production of the rice paddy in order to meet the growing rice consumption of the state.

The commissioner said the state government would increase the production of rice paddy by partnering with other sister states, such as Niger and Kebbi states, on land bank collaboration.

Ms Olusanya listed the projects to be undertaken by the state government, including Lagos Rice Mill, the Central Logistics Hub, – the Red Meat Initiative, the Lagos Feedlot System and the Butchers’ Academy, among others.