The Lagos State Government, through its Ministry of Agriculture and Food Systems, is spearheading a transformative initiative to bolster food production and ensure long-term sustainability.
In a strategic collaboration with the Danish Embassy in Nigeria and other key stakeholders, Lagos State is actively positioning itself as a hub for agripreneurial innovation and investment, leveraging immense opportunities within its agricultural ecosystem.
The latest stride in this direction was the “Lagos Agrinnovation Hangout 6.0”, an event designed to foster networking and knowledge exchange among agripreneurs.
Ms. Abisola Olusanya, Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Systems, emphasised that the hangout’s core mission is to achieve food sustainability, enhance food security, and ensure the resounding success of agribusinesses in Lagos.
The event served as a crucial platform for local agripreneurs to gain insights into cutting-edge techniques and expand their business horizons through both local and international perspectives.
“Following the success of Hangout 5.0, where we hosted the Consul General for the Netherlands, we are thrilled to have Denmark with us today,” stated Commissioner Olusanya. “This collaboration is designed to expose our agripreneurs to innovative ideas, vast possibilities, and readily available tools and technologies that can significantly scale their businesses. We continually invite foreign partners and multinational corporations to share their expertise, empowering our entrepreneurs to operate more effectively.”
The Commissioner highlighted the remarkable growth of the Agrinnovation Club, established in 2023. “The membership is steadily increasing, and we are witnessing tangible dividends. Many members are thriving, venturing into areas of the food space they might not have accessed independently. We have professionals from diverse backgrounds – accountants, bankers, architects – who, despite not having formal agricultural training, are now successfully exporting products and expanding their reach. We aim to encourage more individuals to join us, and events like this are pivotal in achieving that.”
According to her, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration has been a staunch advocate for youth involvement in agriculture, actively partnering and facilitating knowledge-sharing to enhance the sector’s performance.
“Governor Sanwo-Olu has been incredibly supportive of this vision. Last year, our Agrithon Summit, tailored for the Lagos Agrinnovation Club, provided over N100 million in funding to 26 businesses. This year, our aspirations are even grander, prompting us to seek broader partnerships with multilateral and bilateral agencies. A larger funding pool will enable us to support more businesses and attract more young people into the food sector”, Commissioner Olusanya noted.
Mrs. Jette Bjerrum, Consul General of Denmark, expressed her enthusiasm for the collaboration, reiterating Denmark’s commitment to nurturing agricultural ecosystems. She affirmed Denmark’s continued partnership with critical stakeholders like Lagos State.
Bjerrum underscored the vital role of agriculture and its entire value chain for both Denmark and Nigeria, emphasising that robust education for prospective farmers can be significantly enhanced through innovative approaches like the Agrinnovation Club.
“Education is paramount for us,” she stated. In Denmark, you cannot operate a farm without proper certification and training. We are a small country, but our ability to innovate and automate our agricultural processes, making them highly efficient, serves as an inspiration. We have even developed a direct finance investment programme to promote agriculture”.
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