Governments, Private Investors Urged to Deepen Collaboration for Agricultural Growth

Governments and private investors have been urged to deepen collaboration to improve agricultural productivity, market access and farmers' incomes. According to stakeholders who spoke at the 2026 Eko Farm Fair in Lagos, public-private partnerships (PPPs) are critical to tackling Nigeria's food security challenges. The stakeholders pointed out that sustainable food security could not be achieved through increased food production alone but required effective linkages between farmers, processors, distributors and consumers. The annual fair, organised through a partnership between the Lagos State Government and the BATN Foundation to commemorate World Food Day 2026, has supported more than 6,000 smallholder farmers since its inception in 2019. The initiative has also attracted over 10,000 shoppers and provided participating farmers with direct access to consumers, enabling them to expand their markets, increase sales and improve their livelihoods. Speaking at the event, the Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, said innovation and collaboration were essential to building a sustainable food system capable of meeting the needs of the growing population. According to him, achieving food security requires practical innovations that extend beyond research and policy formulation to address challenges at farms, processing centres, marketplaces and households. 'Achieving this will require innovation that goes beyond ideas and research to produce practical results. It must reach the farm, the processing centres, the marketplace, and the kitchen of every household,' Hamzat said. He stressed the need to strengthen the connections between agricultural production, processing, distribution and consumption to improve supply chains, reduce post-harvest losses and make food more affordable. The Deputy Governor noted that partnerships involving government, the private sector and farming communities would help create the conditions necessary for agricultural development and improved food availability. Also speaking, a Board Director of the BATN Foundation, Ruth Owojaiye, said the achievements recorded through the Eko Farm Fair demonstrated the importance of collective action in addressing the country's food security challenges. 'No single institution can solve Nigeria's food security challenges alone. Partnerships such as this are helping farmers access markets, improve productivity and build more resilient livelihoods,' she said. Owojaiye explained that the initiative had provided smallholder farmers with opportunities to showcase their produce, establish direct relationships with consumers and explore new business opportunities. She, however, identified climate change, post-harvest losses and limited access to finance, technology and markets as persistent challenges confronting farmers. She called for sustained collaboration and innovative interventions to address these constraints and create lasting economic opportunities for farming communities. The Eko Farm Fair featured exhibitions by farmers, agripreneurs and food processors, alongside direct produce sales and business networking opportunities aimed at strengthening relationships across the agricultural value chain. Beyond the fair, the BATN Foundation said it had invested more than ₦5 billion in agricultural and community development programmes, reaching over 1.9 million beneficiaries. Its interventions include farmer training, agricultural input support, water access projects and enterprise development initiatives. Stakeholders at the event said expanding such interventions through effective public-private partnerships would improve farmers' access to markets, finance, modern technology, infrastructure and capacity-building opportunities. They also emphasised the importance of encouraging greater participation of women and young people in agriculture while equipping farming communities to withstand climate-related risks. With food affordability and availability remaining major national concerns, stakeholders maintained that agricultural interventions must focus not only on increasing production but also on ensuring that farmers earn sustainable incomes from their investments. They said the Eko Farm Fair provided evidence that partnerships between government and the private sector could translate agricultural policies and commitments into tangible economic benefits for producers and consumers.