Wale Jagun
Lagos State is set to empower 5000 entreprenuers through its Renewal Initiative as part of the activities planned to mark the 2020 World Coconut Day on Wednesday, September 2, 2020.
The State Acting Commissioner for Agriculture, Ms. Abisola Olusanya, disclosed this on Monday ( yesterday) at Ikeja,.
This year’s edition of the annual event, which is themed, ‘Coconut in the 21st Century Economy’, is aimed at showcasing the much potential available in the Coconut value chain and how to essentially tap from its wealth.
Ms Olusanya noted that the idea is part of the efforts of the State Government to arouse interest in Coconut and increase public awareness on the socio-economic importance of its value chain.
She added that there are a lot of untapped economic potentials in the Coconut industry which need to be exploited, hence the need for the State Government to create awareness about the produce.
“It is of utmost importance to sustain the awareness on the development of the Coconut value chain as it remains one of the Agricultural crops capable of ameliorating the long-term effects of COVID-19 pandemic on the economy”, Ms Olusanya said.
“We will be distributing improved Coconut seedlings to the representatives of Coconut growers, presentation of Certificates to participants at the just concluded Arts and Crafts Training (Waste to Wealth Initiative) and exhibition of Coconut products ranging from edible to non-edibles”, she added.
The Acting Commissioner further disclosed that a symposium by a plant geneticist and a retired Director with the Nigeria Institute for Oil Palm Research (NIFOR), Dr. Joshua Olusesan Odewale, will be held to further bring awareness to the potentials that have not been fully tapped in the Agriculture sub-sector.
“We will use this year’s World Coconut Day to create a robust relationship among Coconut Value Chain actors, Service Providers and Institutions in an effort to make them contribute significantly to the process of Making Lagos a 21st Century Economy.
“It is important to sustain awareness on the development of the Coconut value chain, especially as it is one of the Agricultural crops capable of ameliorating the long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economy and food production”, Olusanya noted.
She revealed that the event, which will hold at the Farm Service Centre, Oko-Oba, Agege, will be in accordance with the physical distancing rules of the State Government.
