Lagos State Government, on Wednesday, brokered a strategic partnership with Niger State — a sub national entity with the largest agricultural farmland in the country — towards enhancing food production and security.
Governors of the two States signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) in Lagos for a cooperation geared towards exploring their
comparative advantages in order to facilitate constant supply of agricultural
commodities for the end consumers.
The agreement tagged “Produce for Lagos Initiative” is part
of the efforts of the two parties to key into the Emergency Food Security
Initiative declared by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to cultivate thousands of
hectares of land to sustain food production and supply chain.
This arrangement is a long term strategic partnership
between the two States in building competencies around their areas of strength.
While Lagos is positioned as a ready organised food market for consumers, Niger
has its core strength in arable land for agriculture and food production.
The signing of the agreement will be followed by massive
supply of fresh farm produce to the Lagos Food Logistics hubs for storage and
distribution.
Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his Niger State counterpart,
Mallam Umar Mohammed Bago, signed the contract on behalf of the parties.
Sanwo-Olu said: “We have just put the pen to paper and
signed the Government-to-Government agreement between Lagos and Niger states
for agricultural production. Lagos, being the smallest State in terms of
landmass, and Niger, being the largest State, is no coincidence that the
biggest and the smallest are looking for at opportunities to citizens of our
both states to be the beneficiaries of this historic partnership.”
Bago described the partnership as “a landmark” for both
parties, noting that the North Central state was willing to leverage organised
market in Lagos to boost economic activities in his State.
He said: “This is a landmark agreement that has been made
today. Lagos is the largest consumer of agricultural resources in the country
based on its population, while Niger State has the largest agricultural land.
So, this Memorandum of Understanding came on the heels of exploring the
strength of each state to promote food security and safety.
“Niger State is to produce agricultural commodities for
Lagos State, and also process staple food items. Lagos State is to leverage the
organised market and supply chain to meet consumers’ demands. This is basically
the simple explanation of the Memorandum of Understanding, which is in tandem
with Mr. President’s food security agenda.”
Lagos Commissioner for Agriculture, Ms. Abisola Olusanya,
noted that the arrangement would help in price stability, as the MoU
accommodated pre-production contracts in the value chain to enable farmers cut
costs and improve output.
She said the first phase of the Food Security Systems and
Central Logistics Park being built in Ketu-Ereyun, Epe would be commissioned in
December to warehouse the large supplies from Niger State. In the meantime, she
said the existing middle level hubs would be used as distribution points for
the supplied commodities.
“This is a marriage made in heaven for our two States. This
is a function of production meeting markets. Once there is an off-take market,
it would catalyse the production end of the market. Then, this will lead to
price stability and food availability.
“Farmers’ profit will also be guaranteed, just as consumers
will be happy for timely supplies. We will also have middle men who will have
regular sources of income by acting as a bridge between both ends of the
market.”
Some of the agricultural commodities to be produced and
shipped to Lagos markets include staple foods, rice paddies, tubers, beans,
legumes, maize and grains.