Lagos Steps Up Farmers’ Empowerment Drive as Government Champions Food Security

Agriculture Supervisors across the 57 Local Government and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in Lagos State have rallied behind the state government’s drive to boost food production, empower farmers and strengthen food security through increased grassroots participation and collaboration across the agricultural value chain.

The supervisors demonstrated their commitment during an awareness walk organised as part of activities marking the 2026 World Food Day, which commenced at JJT Park, Alausa, Ikeja, despite heavy rainfall.

The Lagos State Government, through the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Systems, reiterated the importance of engaging genuine stakeholders in the agricultural sector to improve farmers’ livelihoods, enhance productivity and ensure food sufficiency in Lagos and Nigeria.

World Food Day commemorates the founding of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in 1945 and provides a global platform for renewed action against hunger, malnutrition and food insecurity.

Speaking during the awareness walk, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Agriculture and Food Systems, Oluwarotimi Fashola, described food security as an essential component of social security, stressing that collective action was necessary to protect and strengthen the agricultural sector.

“When you talk about food security, there are no two ways to it; everyone must be involved, because any society that is food secure will be more secure. But more and beyond that, the theme for this year, ‘Innovation Today, Nourish Tomorrow,’ points to how important it is to prepare ourselves for tomorrow,” he said.

Fashola explained that the awareness walk was designed to promote public understanding of food security and encourage residents to embrace food production, regardless of the size of available land or resources.

He urged households to explore simple farming initiatives, including growing crops in buckets, bags and tyres, noting that small-scale efforts could contribute significantly to food availability when adopted widely.

“We need to continue to educate people and create more awareness that everybody needs to do something, no matter how small. Do something today so that tomorrow will be better.

“Lagos owns farm lots and settlements that we are giving out to different farmers for production. But apart from that, even planting in buckets, planting in bags, planting in tyres, all these are things we can do in our homes. It is not only when you get to a big piece of land. You can do something very small,” he said.

The Special Adviser maintained that the state government had introduced various initiatives over the years to support farmers, improve agricultural productivity and promote food sufficiency.

He assured that the government would sustain its engagement with farmers, expand opportunities within the agricultural value chain and implement more viable agriculture-based initiatives in the coming years.

According to Fashola, government interventions have contributed to growing interest in agriculture among young people and educated Nigerians, while agricultural markets continue to develop.

“There are more people, more youngsters, more educated people that are going into one form of agriculture or the other, and our markets are developing. We have the hope that we are increasing the number every year, every day, every time,” he added.

Also present at the event were Agriculture Supervisors and Special Advisers from the 20 Local Governments and 37 LCDAs, led by their chairman, Hon. Asiwaju Wale Ogunbela.

Ogunbela said the participation of the supervisors reflected the solidarity of all 57 councils with the Lagos State Government and farmers in advancing the state’s agricultural development agenda.

He disclosed that the councils would be fully represented at the World Food Day celebration scheduled for October 16, noting that the annual observance serves as a rallying point for governments, development partners, farmers, private-sector operators, researchers, innovators and communities to strengthen collaboration towards achieving food security.

Some farmers who participated in the awareness walk called for a more comprehensive approach to agricultural development, urging the government to simplify access to funding and provide additional support to farmers to improve production and sustainability.