World Food Day: Lagos State government to introduce storage facility to curb wastage

The Lagos State government is considering implementing a new storage system that would help prevent food wastage, which is believed to be one of the reasons for the rise in the cost of food items in the country. The State Commissioner for Agriculture, Ms. Bisola Olusanya, made this announcement during a chat with journalists to mark the 2023 World Food Day. The storage system is expected to reduce the losses incurred by market women, who have been severely affected by the food inflation rate in Nigeria, which is currently at 31.5%.

Ms Olusanya stated that the high volume of food consumed in the state is imported, making proper hygiene critical to safeguarding the lives of the citizens. She explained that World Food Day, which is celebrated every 16th of October, is set aside to reflect on various issues affecting the accessibility and availability of food to people around the world, including poverty and hunger.

The commissioner also spoke to the theme of the celebration, which is “Water is Life, Water is Food, Leaves No One Behind”. She noted that crises around the world have adversely affected the availability of food and that the state is revolutionizing farming practices to fortify food production and distribution in line with the T.H.E.M.E.S Agenda of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

Ms Olusanya further revealed that the state is collaborating with the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy to harness the potential of seafood, and discussions are ongoing with the private sector to that effect. She emphasized that the state government is also collaborating with other ministries to ensure that Lagos does not succumb to the forces of climate change, which also affects food production and distribution.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Agriculture, Dr Oluwarotimi Fashola, also remarked that the Lagos Rice Mill Imota played a significant role in the distribution of palliatives to residents. The government commenced the sale of the rice in June, which attracted sales to individuals through distributors. However, the government expressed dismay that people diverted the commodity from residents and sold it at higher prices. To check this excess, the government has identified designated places to sell to residents for proper monitoring and the right amount.