The Lagos State Government has reiterated its call for traders and business owners to refrain from exploiting the current economic situation by hiking prices at the expense of consumers.

The Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Systems, Ms. Abisola Olusanya, emphasized this message during a news briefing in Alausa to kick off activities for the 2024 World Food Day.

Despite challenges in price regulation, the government has implemented initiatives like the Food Hubs in Mushin and the OUNJE EKO program, which provide staple foods to residents at subsidized prices.

Olusanya expressed concern over traders who take advantage of economic hardships to charge excessive prices, highlighting that the Mushin Food Hub offers items such as eggs at significantly lower prices. She mentioned plans to establish more food hubs across the state to help stabilize food prices.

To address food scarcity, Olusanya noted that while Lagos lacks a grain reserve like the federal government, it regularly distributes free food boxes to residents and is developing a Logistics Food Hub in Epe, designed to store food for up to 180 days to mitigate shortages.

Encouraging subsistence farming, Olusanya revealed that free seedlings have been provided to farmers in the Ojo corridor and other areas under the “Lagos Cares and Appeals” project. She also mentioned a collaboration with Glo to boost agricultural production.

As for World Food Day on October 16, Olusanya pointed out that it serves as a platform for countries, including Nigeria, to address food security, poverty, and hunger. This year’s theme, “Right to foods for better life and a better future,” highlights the global issues surrounding food access and security.

“Food is a necessity for human existence and food security, as defined by the United Nations Committee on World Food Security, means that all people, at all times, have unrestricted (physical, social, and economic) access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets their food preferences and dietary needs for an active and healthy life,” she said.

The commissioner stressed that a country that ensures food is available to all its citizens will be strong and stable however, with food insecurity, it becomes vulnerable and overly dependent on other countries for aid.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Agriculture and Food Systems, Dr. Oluwarotimi Fashola, explained that the recent spike in rice prices is part of a global trend, attributing it to a decline in domestic paddy production.

Nigeria requires about 18 million tons of rice to meet the needs of its over 200 million population but currently produces only around 8 million tons. He noted that the price of paddy has surged from about N200,000 to N800,000 in just a few months, although Eko Rice remains competitively priced at N72,000 for 50 kilograms.

Fashola praised the federal government’s decision to open the importation of brown rice, stating that Lagos would be among the first to take advantage of this opportunity. Additionally, Mr. Adebayo Awoniyi-Adeoshun from ORIGIN reported that approximately 18,000 people accessed the Mushin Food Hub within just a few days and urged the government to expand the initiative to more areas.