The Lagos State Agro-Processing, Productivity Enhancement and Livelihood Improvement Support (APPEALS) Project is constructing 15 aggregation and cottage processing centres in three value chains in the state.
The state Project Coordinator, Lagos APPEALS, Mrs Oluranti Sagoe-Oviebo, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Lagos.
Sagoe-Oviebo listed the value chains as aquaculture, rice and poultry.
She said that the project was aimed at adding value to farm produce.
Sagoe-Oviebo said that the proposed aggregation and cottage centres would be located in Gayingbo, Badagry; Ikoga, Badagry; Afowo, Badagry; Igbodu, Epe; Abute Afuye, Epe; Aiyedoto, Ojo; Aboreji Lekki, Ibeju Lekki; Erikorodo Estate, Ikorodu.
She listed other locations to include Ojo Cantonment, Ojo; Itamaga, Ikorodu; Mosan Oku-ola, Alimosho; Gberefu, Badagry; Agric Yes, Epe; and Ajara Farm Settlement, Badagry.
“We are planning to setup 15 cottage industry in various location across the state in poultry, aquaculture and rice value chains
“This project consists of nine cottage processing centres, one cottage waste processing centre and three aggregation centres.
“What we are doing is that for all the places where we have our cage culture, we are going to be having blast freezers there.
“We are also going to be having processing centres where we can smoke our fish.
“Basically, what we are doing is value addition, that is what we are trying to do under this project,” she said.
Sagoe-Oviebo told NAN that Tilapia fish and catfish farmers would be provided blast freezers to preserve their produce through a new technology.
“There is a difference between cold-room and blast freezer. Blast freezer freezes instantly, so it retains freshness even in the next couple of weeks. When you bring it out of the freezer, it is still very fresh.
“For catfish for instance, where a lot of farmers are complaining that market women determine the price, what we are trying to do is blast freezing and people will buy blast frozen.
“By the time you tore it and you cut it, you will think it is fresh.
“That is a technology that we have seen and it is really good for the value chain,” she said.
Sagoe-Oviebo said that the bid opening would hold on Nov. 25 for interested bidders adding the evaluation would start immediately.
“The aim of this project is for value addition. We don’t encourage farmers to sell their farm produce as just farm produce but as products.
“We encourage them to sell as finished products that they have added value to, even if you are going to sell whatever, you have to sort, grade it and make it look attractive.
“By doing that, farmers will get premium price because that’s the way to go in agriculture.”
