The Lagos State Government (LASG) has encouraged farmers across the state to adopt agricultural insurance as an essential risk management tool to ensure the long-term sustainability of their farms.
The appeal was made by the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Systems, Abisola Olusanya, during a two-day capacity-building workshop.
The training, organised by the Lagos State Agricultural Development Authority (LSADA) for selected farmers under the National Programme for Food Security (NPFS), took place at the Fresh Food Produce Hub in Idi-Oro, Mushin, Lagos.
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Representing the Commissioner, Aramide Ganzalo, the Director of Agribusiness, noted that the workshop’s 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 equipping farmers for productivity, resilience, and business expansion.
Olusanya highlighted the benefits of the safety net, stating that the government has frequently had to provide compensation due to significant losses experienced by farmers.
“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 emphasised.
The commissioner also hinted that proof of agricultural insurance may become a requirement for accessing government support in the future.
“While it’s not mandatory yet, we are strongly encouraging 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.
In her welcome address, LSADA’s Coordinating Director, Aderonke Toju-Tubi, underscored the agency’s focus on strengthening the agricultural value chain and supporting farmers.
She stressed that educating farmers on financial management, timely loan repayment, and agricultural insurance is vital not only for sustaining credit schemes but also for building trust between farmers and financial institutions, calling them “key pillars for a resilient agricultural financing ecosystem.”
Furthermore, Oluwatosin Ganzalo, the NPFS Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, addressed the difficulties farmers face in accessing credit from commercial banks.
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She explained that the state government now channels funds directly to farmer clusters under various enterprises.
She noted that over 5,000 farmers have benefited from the programme in recent years, with about 370 participants currently undergoing training.
