With a population of over 20 million and an estimated net migration rate of 123,000 people daily, Lagos State is a uniquely high-pressured state, especially in the area of food. Despite its relatively small land mass and some geographical limitations, it accounts for over 60 per cent of industrial and commercial activities of the county. One of the areas in which the state is experiencing challenges is that of food production, which has become a critical sector to be addressed. Currently, the state is experiencing a deficit of 188 Metric Tonnes (MT) of broilers, 6.7mt of eggs and 218mt of aquaculture supply daily, to attain food security.

The introduction of the Agro-Processing Productivity Enhancement and Livelihood Support (APPEALS) Project appears to be the game-changer, to enhance agricultural productivity of small and medium scale farmers and transform the sector in the state. The APPEALS project, implemented through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in six participating states of Cross River, Enugu, Kaduna, Kano, Kogi and Lagos, is a six-year project expected to run between 2017 and 2023. The basic strategy of the project is to increase productivity, production and improve processing and marketing of the targeted value chain, which are expected to foster job creation along value chains. The value chains to be supported by APPEALS in the state are aquaculture, poultry and rice. Guardian