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By Lukman Olabiyi
As part of the effort to boost investment in the agricultural value chain in Lagos State, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, yesterday, disbursed N3.6billion to 1,786 successful applicants as start-ups.
The empowerment was a tripartite agreement scheme supported by the World Bank and the Federal Government with the state.
The initiative was part of the Women and Youth Empowerment Programme (WYEP) under the Agro-Processing, Productivity Enhancement and Livelihood Improvement Support (APPEALS) Project.
For the empowerment scheme, over 8,000 applications were received, but only 1,786 were selected, with at least N2 million average worth of financial assets and access to mentorship link for professional guidance.
Presenting the cheques to the beneficiaries, Sanwo-Olu said his administration has remained steadfast in the state’s counterpart contribution to the tripartite formation for smooth and effective implementation of the project.
He stated: “As you are aware, the APPEALS is a tripartite agreement between the Lagos State government, supported by the Federal Government and, of course, the World Bank.
“Since the commencement of the programme in the state, we have been steadfast in our own commitment through regular payment of our counterpart contribution to ensure we have a smooth and effective implementation of the project in the state.
“We are strongly committed to enhancing the agricultural productivity of small and medium scale farmers in Lagos State and improving value addition along our agricultural value chain, which is our core objective under the Lagos APPEALS project”.
As a strategic focus to drive the economy, Sanwo-Olu explained that agriculture offers women and youths the opportunities to make difference in their immediate communities, the state and the nation at large.
He stated that recent focus on agriculture has been turning around employment narratives for youths in the state, adding that youth engagement with technological mechanisms have been enhancing productivity in the sector with access to finance provided by the state.
“I believe that an effective deployment of technology in this sector would improve productivity, attainment of food sufficiency and food security as well as what we see as job creation on one hand, and also livelihood and sustainability on the other hand,” Sanwo-Olu said.
Sanwo-Olu disclosed that road projects spanning about 14km to facilitate market access for farms across the state would be completed before June 2022.
Sanwo-Olu said, though land limitation is real, yet the state can be an agricultural food print for the nation.
