Lagos set to organise farmers, SME forum

Arrangements have been completed for the hosting of this year’s media interactive session by the Lagos State Commercial Agriculture Development Project (CADP) today, Wednesday, September 18.

The interactive session, which is billed to hold at the Johnson Agiri Complex in Oko Oba, Agege area of Lagos, will draw over 140 small and medium scale producers, processors and marketers in the rice, poultry and aquaculture value chain. Also invited are financial institutions, community leaders and non-governmental organisations, state policy makers, representatives of the World Bank, members of the House Committee on Agriculture, as well as the media.

In a statement, Kehinde Ogunyinka, the state project co-ordinator of CADP, says the forum is aimed at showcasing the results and impacts of CADP on the productivity of small and medium commercial farmers, and other related agro-allied businesses in the state. He states that the event will also be used to attract investors nationally and internationally, and to encourage farmers to network with one another.

While emphasising the role of the media in the entrenchment of food security in the country, Ogunyinka says the interactive forum will further raise awareness and increase understanding of the project for possible adoption and scale-up by commercial farmers, and this in turn would facilitate buy-in and support of the state and Federal Government.

“The role of the media cannot be over-emphasised in our quest towards food security and eradication of poverty since members of the fourth estate of the realm are key to the promotion of policies and performance of the CADP,” Ogunyinka states further.

Commenting on the improvement of the maiden edition, the state project co-ordinator says “this year’s interactive forum will not be limited to talk shop only, there will be a showcase of success stories and impacts of CADP by lead farmer beneficiaries.”

The annual media and stakeholders’ session will strengthen and broaden the knowledge of reporters covering agriculture, industry and other related beats. This will help them in directing their news reports to the target audience.

The CADP has supported 331 commodity interest groups in the implementation of their business plans to the tune N657.487 million (IDA contribution) across the poultry, rice and aquaculture value chains in Lagos State.

In addition, a total of 22.19km rural roads in 10 locations and provision of transformers, extension lines and accessories, among others, in 10 locations had been fully implemented. Another 12.83km rural roads is also ongoing in six other farming locations across the state.