Lagos to establish N10bn aquaculture centre empowers 2,743 farmers
A N10 billion Lagos Aquaculture Centre of Excellence (LACE) will be established by Lagos State government in Igbonla, Epe, under a Public\Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement.
The state Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, disclosed this during the week at the distribution of agricultural inputs and productive assets to 2,743 farmers under the 2020 Agricultural Value Chains Empowerment Programme.
The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, said that the centre would be located on a 35-hectare land.
According to him, the project is designed to boost the growth and development of the aquaculture industry in the state through direct production of 2,000 tonnes of fish annually.
He said it would also ensure the provision of inputs to fish farmers under the Lagos Nucleus Farms scheme, and serve as off-taker for fish farm clusters in the state.
Sanwo-Olu said the state government would also establish two food production centres in Epe and Badagry to be known as Lagos Food Production Centres, to sustain food production and supply.
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The governor said the two centres would ensure resuscitation, expansion and stocking of agricultural production facilities in various value chains.
He added that the two centres would develop agro-tourism centres in the Lagos State Songhai Project in Badagry and the Agricultural Training Institute, Araga, Epe.
“The experience of the past few months during the lockdown occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic has further reinforced the urgent need to expand the state’s food production base to meet such a spontaneous increase in demand for food in the future.
“In line with this realisation, and to ensure sustained food production and supply in the state, we are establishing Lagos Food Production Centres in Badagry and Epe.
“Also, we are establishing the Lagos Aquaculture Centre of Excellence (LACE) N10 Billion project to be located on 35 hectares of land in Igbonla in Epe under a public\private partnership arrangement,” he said.
According to the governor, LACE is designed to boost the growth and development of the aquaculture industry in the state through direct production of 2,000 tonnes of fish annually.
“Also, it will ensure the provision of inputs to fish farmers under the Lagos Nucleus Farms scheme and serve as off-taker for fish farm clusters in the State.”
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