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| Photo shows: Head of International Projects at Semmaris-Rungis Market, Mr. Timothée Witkowski,; Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Chairman Origin Group, Prince S.J. Samuel; Special Adviser on Agriculture, Dr. Rotimi Fashola; Commissioner for Agriculture, Ms. Abisola Olusanya and Executive Assistant on Agriculture, Mr. Olaniwun Gbolabo Owolabi during the governor’s working visit to Rungis International Market in Paris, France, on Thursday, 20 June, 2024. |
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State recently visited the Rungis International Market in Paris, France, to establish strategic and technical partnerships for the development and operationalization of the Lagos Food and Logistics Hub project. This visit is part of the administration's efforts to enhance food security and sufficiency in Lagos.
The Lagos Food and Logistics Hub project aims to create direct wealth for over five million traders in the agricultural value chain and guarantee uninterrupted food supplies to over 10 million Lagosians for at least 90 days in periods of scarcity. The hub will feature storage facilities for over 1,500 trucks and facilitate large commercial transactions.
During the meeting, Governor Sanwo-Olu discussed the crucial role markets play in addressing modern food systems and explored potential collaborations with key individuals including the Chairman and Executive Officer of Semmaris, Stephane Layani; Director of the International Business Unit, Bertrand Ambrouse; Head of International Projects at Semmaris-Rungis Market, Timothée Witkowski; and Chairman of Origin Group, Prince S.J. Samuel.
The Governor emphasized the importance of modernizing Lagos's food distribution networks and enhancing food security through strategic international collaborations.
The partnership with Rungis International Market promises to improve Lagos's food logistics, ensuring efficient distribution and access to fresh produce for its growing population.
Governor Sanwo-Olu disclosed the collaboration during the visit of some Lagos State government officials to the Rungis International Market in Paris, France, on Thursday, June 20, 2021
Sanwo-Olu, who was accompanied by Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture, Ms. Abisola Olusanya; Special Adviser to Governor on Agriculture, Dr. Omotola Fashola; and Executive Assistant to Governor on Agriculture, Mr. Olaniwun Gbolabo Owolabi, said the aim of the visit was to establish strategic and technical partnerships essential for the development and operationalisation of the Lagos Food and Logistics Hub.
Speaking about the visit, Governor Sanwo-Olu said: “I had the opportunity to explore the vibrant Rungis International Market in Paris. I was inspired to discover that this market is not just the second-largest wholesale food market in the world but also covers an impressive 232 hectares of land.
“This visit puts into motion the beginning of a meaningful strategic and technical partnership for the development and operationalisation of our Lagos Food and Logistics Hub project.
“I met with the management team of Rungis International Wholesale Food Market in Paris, France. Our discussions centred around the crucial role markets play in addressing the complexities of modern food systems, as well as exploring potential collaborations for the Lagos Food and Logistics Hub project.
“During the meeting, we were able to establish concrete plans for effective collaboration between Rungis International Market, renowned as the world's second largest wholesale food market, and the Lagos State Government.”
Governor Sanwo-Olu and his team's visit to Rungis International Market in Paris is part of efforts being put in place by the Lagos State Government to advance the construction of sub-Saharan Africa’s largest Food Security System and General Logistics Park on a 1.2 million-square metre site in Ketu-Ereyun, Epe.
It would be recalled that Governor Sanwo-Olu, on August 24, 2022, flagged off the construction of the Lagos Food and Logistics Hub project, which will be the largest Food Security Systems and Central Logistics Park in sub-Saharan Africa when completed. He performed the sod turning of the project at the site of the facility being built on 1.2 million square metres of land in Ketu-Ereyun, Epe.
The establishment of the food park is a component of an audacious five-year Agricultural and Food Systems Road Map (2021–2025) launched in 2021 by the Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration to enhance food sufficiency in Lagos.
When completed, the central food and logistics hub is expected to create direct wealth for more than five million traders in the agricultural value chain while guaranteeing uninterrupted food supplies to more than 10 million Lagosians for at least 90 days in a period of scarcity.
The hub will have storage facilities for more than 1,500 trucks that will daily service the needs of thousands of operators within the food value chain throughout the year, while large commercial transactions will be processed in the facility.
The central food hub, according to a press statement signed by the special adviser to the governor on media and publicity, Gboyega Akosile, would guarantee greater returns for farmers and investors in the agro-allied sector, as the facility would cut out several layers of middlemen and facilitate improved access to modern processing and packaging services. The market matrix generated from the facility would help the government generate useful data for public planning and for the use of private sector players to project investment.
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