By Iroyin Yoruba Television
The Lagos State Government has commenced activities for the 2026 World Food Day celebration with an agricultural awareness road walk aimed at drawing public attention to food security, local food production and the need for greater participation in agriculture.
The road walk took place on Thursday, October 8, 2026, beginning at the Johnson Jakande Tinubu Park in Alausa, opposite the Lagos State House of Assembly Complex, and proceeding toward Allen Avenue Roundabout before returning to the starting point.
The event was organised by the Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture and Food Systems as part of activities leading to the state's main World Food Day programme scheduled for October 16.
The 2026 World Food Day activities are being held under the theme, “Innovate Today, Nourish Tomorrow.”
The theme places emphasis on innovation, technology and sustainable approaches to food production at a time when Lagos faces the challenge of feeding a rapidly growing urban population.
The Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Agriculture and Food Systems, Dr Oluwarotimi Fashola, said during the road walk that the activity was intended to sensitise residents to the importance of food security and encourage people to take practical steps toward sustainable food production.
Fashola stressed that food security is closely connected to the stability and wellbeing of society.
He encouraged Lagos residents to consider small-scale agricultural activities, explaining that food production does not necessarily require access to large areas of farmland.
According to him, residents can participate in food production through household farming methods, including the use of buckets, bags and tyres where appropriate.
The message is particularly relevant in Lagos, where limited land availability and intense urban development can make conventional farming difficult for many residents.
FOOD SECURITY AS A COMMUNITY RESPONSIBILITY
The road walk brought agriculture stakeholders into a public space to communicate the importance of food production beyond the traditional farming communities.
Fashola said the state had provided farm lots and settlements for farmers while also supporting different agricultural training programmes.
He pointed to the agricultural extension facility at Oko-Oba, where training is provided in areas including fish farming, crop production and hydroponics.
Hydroponic production, which involves growing plants without conventional soil-based cultivation, is among the technologies increasingly associated with urban and controlled-environment agriculture.
For a densely populated city such as Lagos, such approaches can potentially help expand food production where conventional farmland is limited.
The special adviser also highlighted the state's Imota Rice Mill as an example of the infrastructure being used to support agricultural production and processing.
The development of local processing capacity is important because agricultural productivity is not determined solely by what farmers produce. The ability to process, store, transport and market agricultural commodities can determine whether increased production ultimately reaches consumers efficiently.
The Lagos government has therefore linked its food-system strategy to a combination of production, processing, storage, distribution and market access.
STATE TARGETS 3,500 AGRICULTURAL STAKEHOLDERS
The road walk is the first major public activity in a wider programme that will culminate in the state's World Food Day celebration.
The Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture and Food Systems expects about 3,500 agricultural value-chain stakeholders to participate in the 2026 celebration.
The participants are expected to showcase agricultural produce, equipment and innovations during the programme.
The state had earlier said that the 2026 celebration would build on the previous year's event, which attracted more than 2,000 farmers, agro-processors, food enthusiasts and other stakeholders.
The expansion in expected participation reflects the government's attempt to bring more people into discussions around agriculture and food security.
Agriculture involves a broad network of participants beyond farmers. The value chain includes input suppliers, producers, processors, transporters, traders, retailers, researchers, technology providers, financial institutions and consumers.
The Lagos government has said its approach is intended to strengthen these connections and improve the efficiency of the food system.
SUPPORT FOR YOUNG PEOPLE IN AGRICULTURE
Another issue highlighted during the World Food Day activities is youth participation.
Fashola said Lagos would continue to promote youth participation in agriculture and agribusiness through programmes designed to provide opportunities for young people.
The state has previously identified initiatives including the Lagos Agripreneurship Programme and Lagos Agrinnovation Club as part of its strategy to encourage participation in the agricultural sector.
The emphasis on young people reflects concerns about the future of farming and the need to make agriculture economically attractive to a new generation.
For Lagos, the issue is particularly significant because the state's economy is heavily urbanised and many young residents are employed in sectors outside agriculture.
The government's strategy is therefore not simply to encourage young people to become conventional farmers but also to expose them to other parts of the agricultural economy, including processing, logistics, technology, marketing and other agribusiness opportunities.
PRIVATE-SECTOR PARTNERSHIP
The World Food Day programme also includes participation from private-sector organisations.
The General Manager of the British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation, Oludare Odusanya, said the foundation would support poultry farmers during the main World Food Day programme.
According to Odusanya, the foundation would provide three-tier poultry pens or stands to farmers, particularly those involved in layer production.
He said the foundation had previously supported activities across different agricultural areas, including aquaculture, poultry and vegetable farming.
The planned poultry intervention is scheduled for the World Food Day grand finale at the Police College Parade Ground in Ikeja on October 16.
The involvement of private organisations illustrates the increasing importance of partnerships between government agencies and private-sector or development organisations in agricultural development.
Government programmes can provide policy direction and public infrastructure, while private-sector partners can contribute equipment, technical support, financing and market connections.
FOOD PRODUCTION AND URBAN LIVING
The Lagos road walk also drew attention to a broader challenge facing the state: how to maintain food security in a megacity where demand continues to rise.
As Lagos's population grows, the amount of food required to supply households, restaurants, schools, hotels, markets and businesses also increases.
At the same time, agricultural land within and around the metropolitan area faces pressure from housing, transportation infrastructure and commercial development.
This creates a need for agricultural systems capable of producing more efficiently and connecting producers with consumers.
Fashola said innovation was therefore no longer optional for Lagos.
The state has identified several areas where innovation can contribute to food security, including productivity, post-harvest management, processing, storage, logistics and market access.
Reducing post-harvest losses is particularly important because food that is produced but lost before reaching consumers does not contribute fully to food availability.
Improved storage and transportation can help reduce such losses, while better market connections can allow farmers to sell their produce more efficiently.
FOOD HUBS AND MARKET ACCESS
The state government's broader food-system strategy includes the development of food hubs and other infrastructure intended to improve the movement of agricultural commodities.
The Special Adviser said the government was working to strengthen food distribution networks and expand market access.
The objective is to improve the connection between farmers and consumers while creating opportunities for businesses operating at different stages of the agricultural value chain.
Food distribution is particularly important in Lagos because agricultural products consumed in the state are sourced both locally and from other parts of Nigeria.
The city's size and concentration of consumers mean that disruptions in transportation or distribution can have consequences for food availability and prices.
Improving logistics can therefore benefit farmers as well as consumers.
AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION
The 2026 World Food Day programme will also include an educational component.
The Lagos Agric Scholars Quiz Competition is scheduled for October 14 at the Fresh Food Hub in Idi-Oro, Mushin.
The competition is designed to involve students and promote greater awareness of agriculture among young people.
Agricultural education can help broaden perceptions of the sector by presenting farming and food production as areas involving science, technology, business and innovation.
Such awareness may also encourage students to consider careers in agribusiness, agricultural science, food processing, logistics and related fields.
The state government's inclusion of students in the World Food Day programme therefore links the current food-security challenge with longer-term efforts to build the next generation of agricultural professionals.
WORLD FOOD DAY GRAND FINALE
The main Lagos World Food Day celebration is scheduled for Friday, October 16, at the Police College Parade Ground in Ikeja.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is expected to attend as Special Guest of Honour.
The grand finale is expected to bring together farmers, processors, agricultural businesses, government officials, researchers, development partners and other stakeholders.
Participants are expected to showcase agricultural products, equipment and innovations as part of the event.
The programme will also provide an opportunity for the state government and its partners to highlight ongoing interventions and discuss further measures for strengthening Lagos's food system.
The activities leading to the finale are therefore intended to build public engagement ahead of the main event rather than serve as an isolated celebration.
A CALL FOR GREATER PARTICIPATION
The October 8 road walk placed food security in a public setting and encouraged residents to view agriculture as an issue affecting the entire community.
The message from the Lagos Ministry of Agriculture and Food Systems is that food security cannot be achieved by farmers alone.
Consumers, households, businesses, government agencies, investors, researchers and community organisations all have roles to play.
For residents without access to conventional farmland, household and small-scale food production can provide one avenue of participation.
For entrepreneurs, opportunities exist in processing, distribution, logistics, storage, technology and other agricultural services.
For government, the challenge is to create the infrastructure, policies and partnerships needed to make those activities commercially viable and sustainable.
LOOKING BEYOND THE CELEBRATION
Although World Food Day is an annual event, the challenges surrounding food security extend throughout the year.
Lagos's rapidly growing population means that demand for food will continue to rise.
The state therefore faces the task of strengthening its food system while balancing urban development, environmental concerns, transportation challenges and the economic realities facing farmers and consumers.
The 2026 World Food Day theme, “Innovate Today, Nourish Tomorrow,” places that challenge in a forward-looking context.
The Lagos government says it intends to continue working with farmers, private investors, development partners, research institutions and technology providers to improve agricultural productivity and food distribution.
The October 8 road walk provided a public launch for those efforts, bringing agricultural stakeholders together to promote the idea that food security is both an economic and social priority.
As the state prepares for the quiz competition on October 14 and the grand finale on October 16, attention will remain on how the celebration can translate public awareness into practical support for farmers, agripreneurs and the wider food system.
For Lagos residents, the central message from the opening road walk is straightforward: ensuring that the city has sufficient, safe, nutritious and affordable food requires participation across the entire agricultural value chain.
The state's World Food Day programme will continue over the coming days, with government officials, farmers, young people, businesses and other stakeholders expected to participate in activities designed to promote innovation and strengthen food security.
The October 8 road walk has therefore marked the beginning of a wider conversation about how Lagos can produce, process, move and distribute food more effectively as the state prepares for the demands of its growing population.