Kogi farmers to benefit from Food for Lagos Initiative, govt assures

By Ezurike Ugochukwu 

The Kogi State Government has expressed optimism that the recently signed Food for Lagos partnership will boost the state’s agricultural sector and improve the livelihood of its farmers.

The government said it has begun implementing measures to increase food production, improve infrastructure, and attract investments into the sector.

In a press statement made available to journalists in Lokoja on Thursday,  the State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Femi Fanwo, highlighted the strategic steps already taken to actualise the economic potentials of the initiative.

Commissioner Fanwo

According to Fanwo, less than two weeks after signing the historic agreement with Lagos State, Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo has begun implementing concrete measures to boost food production, improve infrastructure, and attract high-value investments into the state’s agricultural sector.

“The Governor didn’t just go there to sign papers,” Fanwo stated.

“He has since returned home to roll up his sleeves and make the partnership a huge success. With the Governor’s efforts, Kogi farmers will earn more from their agricultural produce.”

He noted that the State Ministry of Agriculture has already mapped out key areas with comparative advantages for specific crops, ensuring that each region contributes meaningfully to the value chain. Kogi, he said, is already a leading producer of cassava in Nigeria and West Africa, and the administration is working hard to dominate other areas of food production.

“We’re not just talking about being the food basket of the nation, we’re taking real steps to become one,” he said.

Fanwo lauded Governor Ododo, stressing that he is a visionary leader who, from the outset of his administration, placed agriculture at the center of his development agenda.

“During his campaigns and in his inaugural speech, he emphasized the need for Kogi to be self-sufficient in food production. Today, he is fulfilling that promise.”

The Commissioner also highlighted major government-backed programmes such as RAAMP (Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project), which is facilitating the rehabilitation of rural roads to improve access to markets, and ACReSAL (Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes), which is channeling investments into rural farming communities.

“Agriculture in Kogi is receiving the biggest attention it has ever received,” Fanwo affirmed. “Our youth and women from Ibaji to Gegu and Egbe are now fully involved in the agricultural revival sweeping across the state.”

According to the Commissioner, the state’s growing success in combating rural insecurity has contributed to increased farming activity and boosted confidence among local farmers, pointing out that the Project is a game-changer, not only for food supply in Nigeria’s largest city but also for wealth creation and economic empowerment in Kogi State.

Some of the tractors earlier procured in Kogi for effective agriculture

“With sustained implementation, this partnership will make Kogi farmers richer and the state stronger economically,” he said.