Sanwo-Olu inaugurates food hub to tackle inflation, post-harvest losses

…launches N750m funding for 15,000 traders

Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Lagos State Governor, has inaugurated the newly constructed middle-level food agro-hub in Idi-Oro, Mushin, aimed to proffer a new way of food distribution in the state and tackle rising food costs as well as address post-harvest losses.

Sanwo-Olu also launched a N750 million Lagos Market/Trader Money initiative to support 15,000 traders as part of measures to alleviate hardship in the state. He revealed that each beneficiary in the initial phase would receive N50,000 from the government.

Sanwo-Olu elaborated on the scope of the intervention, stating, “The government has come up with an intervention for all market men and women,” the governor said at the inauguration on Sunday.

To ensure equitable distribution, each Local Government will submit 200 names, with both the Iyaloja and Babaloja, leaders of market associations, expected to receive 50 slots each in every market. Additionally, markets located within military formations will also benefit from this program.

He expressed his excitement during the commissioning of the agro-produce Hub, describing it as a significant milestone towards achieving the state government’s food security objectives. He emphasized that this facility, the first of its kind in the state, marks a turning point in Lagos’ food distribution system.

The agro-produce hub, sprawling over 6,400 square meters of land, boasts ample car and truck parking space, as well as centralized dry and cold storage systems. These features are expected to provide market players with the necessary economies of scale to generate decent profits.

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Highlighting the importance of this endeavor, he stated, “The Food System Transformation Agenda was adopted as a measure to improve the current system, which is plagued by wastage, post-harvest losses, traffic congestion, and other inefficiencies resulting in the loss of over 50 percent of agricultural produce, especially perishables.”

Governor Sanwo-Olu went on to explain that this transformation journey is anchored in a five-year Agricultural and Food Systems Roadmap (2021-2026).

This roadmap reflects the administration’s dedicated commitment to boosting food production, processing, and marketing while fostering collaborations with various stakeholders, including the private sector, financial institutions, foreign governments, and multilateral agencies.

“To demonstrate our resolve to follow through with the Agenda,” the governor added, “the construction of the Central Logistics Hub at Ketu-Ereyun, Epe, is ongoing.”

“The mid-level agro-produce hub is just the beginning, and we plan to construct an additional three hubs at the Agege, Ajah, and Abule-ado axis of the State. In total, the plan is to construct fifty mid-level agro-produce hubs across the State.”

Also, Abisola Olusanya, the commissioner for Agriculture, explained that the primary goal of this hub is to establish a storage facility capable of prolonging the shelf life of perishable foods. This initiative aims to ensure food security and affordability.

“The essence of the hub is to have a storage facility that will make perishable foods durable. It would ensure food security and affordable pricing,” Olusanya said.

“The middle-level hub is all about ensuring that consumers can buy fresh, wholesome food at the right price in the right location, all while enjoying a wonderful shopping experience in a safe environment.”

Taibat Borokini, the Iyaloja of Mushin, expressed her delight over the gesture, emphasizing that it will significantly address the challenges faced by market men and women in Mushin and other parts of the state.