LAGOS WOOS INVESTORS ON FOOD VALUE CHAIN

 





In line with the commitment to ensure food security and inclusive economic growth, Lagos State Government has engaged both local and foreign investors on the need to invest in the State's food value chain.


Speaking at the 2022 Breakfast Meeting on "Investing in the Lagos Food Value Chain", Special Adviser to the Governor on Sustainable Development Goals and Investment, Mrs. Solape Hammond explained that the Government is focused on transiting the state from a consuming state to a new productive hub.


The meeting, according to her, is to further showcase the comparative advantage the state has over other competing states in the food value chain and encourage investors to explore opportunities in the upstream, midstream and downstream sector in agriculture  across the state.


"Despite Lagos being the export hub of Nigeria, more than 70%of what she consumes is imported. We want a new form of investment to flow into food and agriculture systems. We want companies to establish here and export to the rest of Africa”,She said.


Hammond noted that the Lagos State Agricultural and Food Road Map (2021–2025) which focuses on eight sectors including coconut, piggery, rice, sea food, fisheries, red meat and several other areas was crafted to bring sanity into the agricultural value chain.


"The whole idea is for the state to be relatively food sufficient, which we realised was a core need after the impact of COVID-19 as we struggled to feed over 22 million Lagosians as we are not really food sufficient", she revealed.


She stressed that the state wants to optimize the Africa Free Trade Agreement by leveraging on the opportunities to engage in large scale agricultural business for the state's economy to be more resilient.


"Lagos has eight free zones that make it easier for investors to plug and play. We are building standard factories in our free zones, we have port access, we have airport access and more than 70% of cargo comes through the State.


In her words, "Having the largest rice mill in Africa and 5th in the world which is billed for commissioning and production in November and construction of the largest Food Security Systems and Central Logistics Park in sub-Saharan Africa put the state in good stead towards food sufficiency".


She said, the food processing market which is the first of the three food market logistics hubs will help bring sanity into the food system across the State.


We want to know the amount of food that comes into the state, where it is coming from and the condition of these food. This will help us to guide against food wastage and unhealthy food.


Food prices in Lagos are on the high side compared to other urban cities in the country. We want to create more visibility, to attract investment in order to make food sufficient and affordable to the people.


While making his remark on food sustainability, the Special Adviser on Agriculture, Dr. Oluwarotimi Fashola affirmed that investment abounds in the food value chain as more effort and innovation are needed to sustainably increase agricultural production and improve the supply chain.


"As the environment for food and agricultural production is increasingly challenging, new patterns of food system governance are required ", he revealed.


Fashola maintained that there are opportunities for many Investment and the State Government will continue to explore the Public -Private Partnership model to complement policies and initiatives for 


The event had in attendance, British Deputy High Commissioner, Mr. Ben Llewellyn-Jones, Consulate General of UAE, Netherlands and Sweden, the American, French, German, Indonesian and Brazilian Chambers of Commerce; the Director General, DAWN Commission, Mr. Seye Oyeleye;  Members of the Organised Private Sector and Stakeholders in the business community.


Representative of Commissioner for Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives; Permanent Secretary, Office of SDGs and Investment, Mrs. Abosede George; Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on SDGs, Mr. Lekan Fatodu.



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

More Than 2,500 Resdent Benefit From Ounje Onigbongbo Food Initiative**

Image
 ** The Executive Chairman of Onigbongbo Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Hon. Oladotun Olakanle, recently organised the "Ounje Onigbogbo Food Initiative," aimed at providing support to the residents of the Onigbogbo LCDA. During his address at the event, Hon. Oladotun Olakanle noted that this was the fifth edition of the initiative. He remarked, "We are doing this to empower our people in these challenging economic times. This situation is not exclusive to Nigeria; it is a global issue. At the grassroots level, we are contributing our efforts to assist both the federal and state governments in ensuring the well-being of our people." Hon. Olakanle also highlighted the growing number of beneficiaries, stating, "This time, we have a much larger turnout than in previous editions. Initially, we had planned for 1,500 people, but now we have approximately 2,500 in attendance. I assure you that every individual present will be attended to."  He further ment
Read more

LASTMA Strengthens Traffic Management Plan Ahead of Ember Months

Image
  The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has intensified its preparations for the Ember months, implementing a robust traffic management strategy to ensure smooth vehicular movement and public safety during the upcoming Christmas and New Year celebrations. During a strategic meeting held at LASTMA Headquarters, Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Hon. Sola Giwa, called on LASTMA officers to adopt proactive measures in anticipation of the increased traffic volume and illegal roadside trading typically associated with the festive season. These challenges, he warned, could disrupt the flow of both traffic and pedestrians across Lagos. Hon. Giwa emphasized the need for a coordinated response from LASTMA personnel, stating, "Our foremost priority is ensuring the safety and convenience of all road users in Lagos. LASTMA officers must remain ever watchful and decisive in addressing illegal roadside trading and other activities that could compromise traffic f
Read more

In it's attempt to get justice, convicted businessman, Abiodun Bolarinwa, has approached an appellate court to upturn his conviction.

  Bolarinwa in a five grounds appeal, urged the court to help determine if the lower court accord him fair hearing. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, following the conviction of Abiodun by Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of a Lagos Special Offences Court, sitting took possession of a property on 1A, Joke Ayo Street, Riverside Estate, Alagbado, Lagos. The anti graft agency also take possession of other assets in the property, including a Range Rover Sport Utility Vehicle, SUV, a black BMW car, a black Toyota Land cruiser car, and a white Toyota Hilux and handed the same property over to the victim, Mr. Bamidele Safiriyu Olusegun. Justice Taiwo had on July 8 2022 convicted and sentenced Abiodun to seven years imprisonment and ordered him to forfeit all the proceeds of the crime. Reacting to the taken of possession without due procedure, Mrs  Adetona Funke Adebowale, an octogenarian and mother of Bolarinwa, accused the EFCC, of forcefully taken possession of her family house jo
Read more