The United States and the Netherlands governments have expressed their readiness to support the Lagos State Government in upscaling its potential in the agriculture sector to boost food production and security in the state.
They also commended the State Ministry of Agriculture and Food Systems for its deliberate policies and initiatives that have widened the agricultural ecosystem and food value chains by creating new opportunities for young farmers and entrepreneurs.
The Agricultural Counselor of the United States Department of Agriculture, Foreign Agricultural Service in Nigeria, Dr. Christopher Bielecki, and the Deputy Consul General of the Netherlands, Peter Keulers, gave this indication while speaking at the Lagos Agrinnovation Hangout 5.0, held at The Workforce, The Zone, Gbagada, Lagos State.
In his presentation, Dr. Bielecki stated that their office is open to a mutually beneficial relationship with Nigeria, noting that they are ready to provide a platform for Nigerian farmers to export their produce to the US.
He urged farmers and business owners to take advantage of their open-door policy by approaching their office for discussions on logistic support that will encourage innovations to grow their businesses.
Bielecki, however, wants young entrepreneurs to bring value to the table during discussions rather than just being on the receiving end, emphasizing that they are well-positioned to promote trade and SMEs in the country.
On his part, Peter Keulers narrated how a country of about 16 million people with a 40,000 km² landmass became the second-largest exporter of agricultural produce in the world, behind the US.
According to him, the Netherlands government provides strong financial and technical support to the sector.
He revealed that innovation is the secret behind the Dutch success story in agriculture, with cutting-edge technology such as drones, robots, and artificial intelligence being abundantly deployed in his country.
Keulers pointed out that Nigeria plays a major role in global agriculture while highlighting the benefits the Netherlands enjoys in export, having Germany as a neighbor.
Genuine partnership, according to him, is key to deepening the agricultural sector and ensuring food security that benefits both countries.
Also speaking, Sejiro Michael Oke-Tojinu, the MD of Sejifarms, said he began his farming journey as a 200-level student at LASU, which eventually took him to the US because he had a vision.
He emphasized the need to fill existing gaps with knowledge and urged agricultural entrepreneurs not to be in a hurry to become bosses but to work in collaboration rather than isolation.
Sejiro Michael warned against the habit of withholding information, instead encouraging farmers to share knowledge with colleagues to grow together.
The leader of the Fish Farmers Association in the state noted that he was proud to have trained many students in the fish farming business.
For the CEO of Swan Cape Farms, Dr. Agnes Fasheun, who established her first farm in 2015 in Epe, agriculture has the potential to change Nigeria’s narrative for the better.
She disclosed that her experience in the United Kingdom, where she went to buy vegetables but found them imported from Kenya and Ethiopia, prompted her journey into vegetable farming after spending 22 years in the banking industry.
According to her, her farm now supplies major supermarkets in Lagos, adding that her focus is on responsive production and quality control measures with resilience.
Meanwhile, the State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Systems, Ms. Abisola Olusanya, stated that the Agrinnovation Club was created as an ecosystem where young farmers and entrepreneurs could network and collaborate to add value to the agriculture sector.
She expressed hope that the Agrinnovation Club would become bigger and outlive the tenure of the current administration.
According to her, the club aims to showcase Lagos State’s agricultural efforts to the world by expanding businesses beyond Nigeria’s shores.
Olusanya noted that the ministry’s mandate is to ensure the overall social well-being of the people through sustainable growth, impacting food accessibility and affordability for residents of the state.
However, she stressed that the government alone cannot meet all the people’s needs, except through genuine networking among those in the agricultural ecosystem to make it more effective.
She explained that their goal is to revolutionize how people perceive agriculture in Nigeria, using innovation and technology as driving forces.
Olusanya believes that demonstrating the endless opportunities in Nigeria, despite economic challenges, will change the narrative on Japa (migration).
She announced that phase one of the Food Logistics Hub in Epe will be commissioned in June this year, describing it as a destination for certifying the quality of food entering Lagos.
According to her, government agencies, including NAFDAC and SON, will have offices at the Food Hub to streamline quality assurance.
The climax of the event was the formal induction of the Agrinnovation Club and the awarding of certificates to members.
