The Lagos State Government has said that its new coconut project will create not less than 200,000 employment opportunities for the youth.
This was disclosed by the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu during a courtesy visit by the Country Representative of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations in Nigeria, Dominique Koffy, according to Nairametrics.
Sanwo-Olu, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Mrs. Bimbola Salu-Hundeyin emphasized that the partnership with FAO is to take advantage of the state’s plentiful coconut resources to produce food and create jobs.
“The coconut project will provide nothing less than 200,000 job opportunities for our youth, which is a significant achievement for us,” he said.
Salu-Hundeyin highlighted the various uses of coconut, ranging from food production like garri and bread to ecological advantages like mitigating the effects of climate change.
“We are blessed to have this tree that God has given us free of charge. We aim to improve on it to feed our people in Lagos State, employ our youth, and promote healthy and affordable food products,” she stated.
The project aims to maximize the advantages of coconut, from its shell to its water and fruit, ensuring comprehensive utilization of the resource. This initiative aligns with the state’s vision to feed Lagos, Nigeria, and make Africa proud through innovative agricultural projects.
Salu-Hundeyin stated that the initiative, which is anticipated to benefit not just Lagos State but also Nigeria and West Africa as a whole, has been launched and that the governor has made the required arrangements, including counterpart funding.
“Mr Governor has made all provisions, even our counterpart funding is ready. Everything to start this project is ready because we know that it is a project that the citizenry of Lagos State Nigeria as a whole, and West Africa will benefit from,” she said.
Koffy stated that the FAO was prepared to assist Lagos’ growth of the coconut value chain to increase employment and productivity.
He praised the Federal and Lagos State Governments for their collaborative effort, noting that the FAO and Lagos State Government would also collaborate on constructing cattle feedlots to enhance youth productivity and export potential.
The Federal Government is collaborating with the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) to revive the country’s cotton and textile industry.
The plan is to develop important cotton value chain components and generate approximately 1.4 million new employment annually in the cotton and textile industry.
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu highlighted Lagos’s capacity to assist the revitalizing efforts and preserve its standing as the biggest fashion hub on the continent, as well as its crucial location in the cotton value chain.
