The Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has launched a 5-year agriculture and food system roadmap (2021-2025) to strengthen the state capacity to create jobs, as well as promote food security in the state.
Sanwo-Olu who launched the roadmap on Thursday, said that unlocking the potentials of the agricultural sector is a critical mandate of his administration.
The roadmap, which is the government’s strategy for sustainable agriculture sector will focus on the development of upstream sector through technology in selected value chain.
It will also help to grow the midstream and downstream sector which includes; processing, commercialisation, packaging among others.
He said, “We identify food security as key to our administration, and we are committed to reforming the agriculture sector of Lagos state.
“We have relied on massive food importation from other states to meet the food demand of state. We cannot continue to rely on alliances it’s time to unlock the immeasurable agric potential that will lead to prosperity, social economic development.
“The 5-year roadmap will focus on ensuring development of the agricultural value chain where Lagos state has a competitive advantage, especially in food production.â€
Speaking on ensuring effective implementation of the roadmap, the governor said that his government is going to put the private sector at the fore front of implementation.
“We are taking clues fromm other economy who have achieved a lot in agriculture, and we have plans of putting the private sector players at the fore front of implementation.
“As a government we will formulate policy to support private sector investment in agric, reduce risk and uncertainties in the sector.
“While we expect huge investment from private sector, the government will provide infrastructural needs in critical areas, adequate budgetary allocation with the PPP model activated to attract private sector.
“The roadmap is the most appropriate tool needed to unleash the potential of agric sector, and we have started revamping the agriculture land holding authority to ease allocation of land for agricultural purposes.
“If we put our minds to it, a lot can happen. We can all generate wealth together. We expect the next five years to be a transformational one, and Lagos will in no time become the national agricultural power house,†he said.
