By Abiodun Abdullai
The Lagos State Government has urged farmers across the state to adopt agricultural insurance as a key risk management tool to ensure long-term sustainability in food production.
The appeal was made by the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Systems, Ms. Abisola Olusanya, during a two-day capacity-building workshop organised by the Lagos State Agricultural Development Authority (LSADA) for selected farmers under the National Programme for Food Security (NPFS) at the Fresh Food Produce Hub, Idi-Oro, Mushin, Lagos, on October 9, 2025.
Represented by the Director of Agribusiness, Mrs. Aramide Ganzalo, the Commissioner said the training theme — "Strengthening Farming Communities Through Financial Management, Loan Repayment, and Agricultural Insurance: Transitioning from Simple to Mechanised Farming" — aligns with the state's commitment to empowering farmers for productivity, resilience, and business growth.
"Agricultural insurance is designed for the benefit of farmers. Over the years, many have suffered significant losses, and the government has had to step in with compensation," Olusanya said. "Rather than relying solely on government aid, insurance allows farmers to recover losses through insurance providers. We insure our cars, not because we expect accidents, but as a safeguard; farming should be treated the same way."
She hinted that proof of agricultural insurance may, in the future, become a requirement for accessing government support.
"While it's not mandatory yet, we strongly encourage farmers to embrace this safety net. It's better to be insured and secure than to be vulnerable in the face of unforeseen events," she added.
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In her welcome address, LSADA's Coordinating Director, Mrs. Aderonke Toju-Tubi, reaffirmed the agency's commitment to strengthening the agricultural value chain and building farmers' capacity across Lagos.
"This training focuses on enhancing financial literacy and promoting sustainable practices through mechanisation," she said. "Educating farmers on financial management, timely loan repayment, and agricultural insurance will sustain credit schemes and build trust between farmers and financial institutions — key pillars for a resilient agricultural financing ecosystem."
Highlighting the broader vision, Toju-Tubi added that farming remains the backbone of the economy and a lifeline for rural communities, saying the forum provides an opportunity to strategise and empower farmers to thrive in today's changing agricultural landscape.
Also speaking, the NPFS Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, Mrs. Oluwatosin Ganzalo, addressed challenges farmers face in accessing credit from commercial banks, noting that the state government now channels funds directly to farmer clusters under various enterprises.
"These funds are used by the clusters and then returned to the apex body for redistribution. So far, over 5,000 farmers have benefited from the programme in recent years, and about 370 participants are currently being trained," she said.
