‘Lagos residents consume N5trn worth of food annually’

The Lagos State Government says residents of the state are consuming food and agricultural produce worth about N5 trillion annually.
Ms Abisola Olusanya, the Commissioner for Agriculture, made this known at a news conference on Thursday in Lagos to commemorate the second year in office of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration.
Olusanya said that the amount might increase to N6.3 trillion by 2030, if the population of the state grew to 30 million.
“It is worthy to note that in terms of the amount of food we consume in Lagos on an annual basis, it is almost N5 trillion.
“If the population is to grow to about 30 million by 2030, Lagos will likely need food worth N6.3 trillion on an annual basis,’’ she said.
According to her, currently, Lagos is producing about 20 to 24 per cent of its food needs.
She added that about 76 to 80 per cent was sourced from other parts of the country or imported from other countries around the world.
“We need to up our food production to be able to meet up with the demand that will be upon us.
“Considering our departments and agencies, we have been saddled with the responsibility to ensure that in terms of food sufficiency level of Lagos, we up the numbers to 40 or 50 per cent by 2025,’’ she said.
The commissioner said that food sufficiency target grew from 18 per cent in 2015- 2018 to 24 per cent between 2019 and 2021, adding that it was expected to increase to 40 per cent by 2025.
Olusanya said food was very critical to achieving all the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), adding that the state government was not taking it for granted.
According to her, food is very critical and we shouldn’t take it for granted; which is why in this ministry, we see it particularly as a very serious business.
“If you are talking of low poverty, zero hunger, gender equality, education, life on land, life on water, whatever the SDG is, without food, it can’t work.
“Agriculture is the key; agriculture is the root to us in achieving the SDGs,” Olusanya said.
She said that all agencies and departments had been saddled with the responsibility to ensure that the ministry achieves all its set goals.
The commissioner listed the departments and agencies to include: Fisheries, Veterinary, Forestry, Agriculture Services and Agriculture Business Departments.
Others are Lagos State Coconut Development Authority, Agriculture Lands Holding Authority, Agricultural Development Authority and Lagos Agricultural Inputs Supply Authority.