Lagos, Kebbi sign MoU on commodity value chain


The Lagos and Kebbi State Governments on Wednesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the establishment of a commodity value chain.
Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State said at the signing of the MOU in Ikeja that commodities such as rice, sorghum, maize, groundnut, sugarcane, fish and beef would be cultivated under the partnership.
Ambode said the commodities would be cultivated in Kebbi and packaged in Lagos State.
He said that the partnership followed a clarion call by President Muhammadu Buhari on the need for the country to diversify its economy from oil.
Ambode said that Kebbi State was blessed with vast arable land that was suitable for the cultivation of the commodities.
"The people are traditionally rice farmers with average land holding of about 10 hectares and presently have over 50,000 metric tonnes of paddy in store produced from the last two planting seasons," he said.
According to him, the joint venture will be implemented using a special purpose vehicle known as LASKEB Agricultural Production and Marketing Company.
He said that thousands of market women and men could become key employers of labour as distributors of ‘Ibile Rice’.
Ambode said that the vehicle would allow the entrance of private sector investors and other states in expanding the rice mill at Imota, in Ikorodu and other locations.

Kebbi state Governor, Atiku Bagudu with  his Lagos state counterpart, Akinwumi Ambode during the signing of the MOU in Lagos today 

"As a state, we shall adopt our local rice as a state dish in all ramifications," he said.
The governor said that Lagos State was the largest consumer of food commodities in Nigeria by virtue of its population and also had the market with the required purchasing power.
According to him, it has an estimated consumption of over 798,000 metric tonnes of milled rice per year, valued at N135 billion per annum.
Ambode said that the state was presently consuming 6,000 herds of cattle daily, which might increase to 8,000 in the next five years.
"The bulk of the vegetables produced in the country end up in the Lagos markets and it is one of the largest producers of poultry and thus has a large demand for maize for livestock feed production," he said.
Ambode said the alliance would ensure food security, job creation and increase in farmers’ income.
According to him, it will also ensure overall improvement in the living conditions of the residents of both states through wealth creation and poverty reduction.
In his remarks, Gov. Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State said that the two States had a long history of trade partnership and were just making it stronger with the MOU.
Bagudu said that the partnership would provide 60 to 70 per cent of the country's rice need.
He said that his state had four emirates distinct in some particular goods and that they would all contribute to the commodity value chain. (NAN)

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