The Lagos State Government has announced plans to launch the second phase of the ‘Ounje Eko’ Farmers’ Subsidy Programme before the end of November this year to support farmers across the state and ensure they have access to quality feed to boost their production.

This was announced by the Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Systems, Abisola Olusanya, during a press conference at Alausa, Ikeja.

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The commissioner said the programme was a critical intervention of the Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration aimed at sustaining food production, empowering farmers, and stabilising food prices across Lagos, particularly during the yuletide season.

Olusanya added that the results of the first phase of the subsidy programme launched earlier this year were resounding, as over 5,000 farmers benefited directly from the intervention.

The commissioner also said that over 993.3 metric tons of poultry feed and 265.65 metric tons of fish feed were supplied.

According to her, the programme sustained the production of 258,000-layer birds, resulting in over seven million eggs produced and 177,100 catfish.

Egg prices, she said, dropped from ₦6,000 per crate to between ₦5,000 and ₦5,400.

Olusanya stated that building on this success, Governor Sanwo-Olu approved the implementation of the ‘Ounje Eko’ Farmers’ Subsidy Programme Phase II, expanding its reach and scope to provide greater impact and support to farmers across different value chains.

The commissioner further explained that phase two would include interventions like a 25 per cent subsidy on poultry feed layer mash, broiler starter and finisher
25 per cent subsidy on fish feed.

Others are free distribution of grains to pig farmers across the state to support livestock nutrition and sustainability, and distribution of agricultural equipment and inputs to crop farming clusters across the state to enhance mechanisation and reduce manual labour.

She emphasised that the programme would cut across 10 locations in the state, including Farm Service Centre, Agege; Agricultural Training Institute, Araga; Epe Coconut House, Mowo; Badagry Fish Farm Estate, Odongunyan, Ikorodu; Erikorodo Poultry Estate, Ikorodu; Aiyedoto Poultry Estate, Ojo; Ministry of Agriculture Cooperative Office, Ajah; and the Armed Forces Resettlement Centre.

As with the first phase, the commissioner explained that participation will be restricted to recognised and registered farmer associations such as the Poultry Association of Nigeria, Lagos State Chapter (PAN-LAG), Lagos State Catfish Allied Farmers Association of Nigeria (LASCAFAN) and Farm Estate and Settlement Associations to ensure transparency and accountability.

The state government advised farmers to register with the necessary associations to benefit from this support.