Lagos State Government has launched a new platform to connect farmers and those involved in the agribusiness with the urban Lagos Market.
The platform tagged: Eko City Farmers Market (ECFM) was unveiled at the Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos at the weekend, and will connects local farmers to local buyers in an urban and modern setting.
It is also expected to afford Lagosians the opportunity to buy fresh farm produce at farm gate prices, in a serene, clean, and beautifully arranged stalled environment.
Speaking at the event, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by his deputy, Obafemi Hamzat, said ECFM will hold every last Sunday of the month.
He said the initiative was conceived to offer greater market access to farmers and agribusiness men and women, adding that the initiative will encourage more farmers and other new entrants into the sector thereby creating more jobs and opportunity for Lagosians.
He said: “In the next few weeks, we would open our Online Market place, thus connecting farmers and buyers in real-time. Buyers will be able to find any farmer of their choice and buy directly from them. Our administration will continue to leverage contemporary solutions to provide the best of its kind market linkage services.”
Commissioner for Agriculture, Gbolahan Lawal, said the idea of ECFM was inspired by the outcome of a stakeholders’ summit the ministry held in September 2019, where the issue of agricultural produce market and facilitating market linkage for farmers was discussed.
“Studies have shown that farmers in the state lack direct access to the markets of their produce such that most of the time, they sell their produce to middlemen at rather incredible prices. The farmers that are able to penetrate the market find it even more difficult to break even as they are forced to sell at the association dictated prices,” the commissioner said.