Seeks stronger value chains to tackle food insecurity

Lagos State Government has said that it is developing a food storage facility designed to sustain the state for up to 90 days during supply disruptions, as stakeholders warn that inadequate preservation, weak distribution and high processing costs may continue to undermine food security.

Director in the state’s Ministry of Agriculture and Food Systems, Olalude Folarin, disclosed this during a World Food Day event organised by Hope for Life Initiative, in collaboration with the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) and the Federal Institute of Industrial Research (FIIR), Oshodi.

Folarin said the facility, which was reportedly between 70 and 75 per cent complete, would store different categories of food and strengthen the state’s capacity to withstand disruptions in supply.

He said the commissioning would be done in the first quarter of 2027, highlighting plans by the state to establish food hubs across local councils and support innovative agricultural businesses, while promoting urban farming methods, including greenhouse cultivation, aquaponics and soil-less farming.

MEANWHILE, the state government has called for stronger food value chains and collaboration between food-producing and food-consuming states to tackle food insecurity, reduce post-harvest losses and improve food availability.

The state’s Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Ope George, who spoke during the bi-yearly review of the implementation of Nigeria’s Food Systems Transformation Pathways (FSTP) and validation of the draft Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the South-West geopolitical zone, said efficient storage, transportation, distribution and market access were essential to building a resilient and sustainable food system.

George said Lagos State, as a major centre of consumption, commerce and distribution, depended on food supplies from other parts of the country, including northern states, making regional cooperation necessary to address challenges affecting the food value chain.

Also speaking, Nigeria’s National Food Systems Convener, Okoro Ebere, said the review would enable stakeholders to assess achievements at federal and state levels, document implementation challenges and share lessons and good practices.

However, participants at the event, themed “Innovate Today, Nourish Tomorrow,” stressed that increasing production alone would not resolve Nigeria’s food challenges without improvements in storage, processing and distribution.

Founder of Hope for Life Initiative, Kendi Aig-Imoru, said the organisation had been marking the World Food Day yearly since 2017 to promote food security and help families become better equipped to feed themselves.

She, therefore, called for stronger partnerships to expand such efforts and greater recognition of women farmers.

President of Netcom Africa and board member of Ignitia, Yen Choi, said technology could help farmers make better decisions on planting, fertiliser application and harvesting through timely weather information.

She said weather forecasts, delivered through text messages, reached more than two million Nigerian farmers.

Choi also drew attention to post-harvest losses, saying that inadequate preservation and unreliable power supply limited the effectiveness of storage facilities, particularly cold rooms.

She said that interventions should be affordable, practical and suited to the crops being preserved.

Research Officer at the FIIR in Oshodi, Adeola Akanbi, said food processing and preservation were essential to reducing waste and making nutritious products more accessible.

She said research institutions could support product development, training and technologies that would help turn local agricultural resources into affordable food products.

Also, the Lagos Branch Manager of the Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Corporation, Titi Oyatolu, who represented the Corporation’s Managing Director, Yazeed Shehu Danfulani, said agricultural insurance could help farmers manage risks, including flooding, fire and disease.

He said the Federal Government subsidised 50 per cent of eligible insurance premiums.