Lagos Honours BATN Foundation’s Two Decades of Agricultural Impact

Dike Onwuamaeze

The Lagos State Government has recognised the BATN Foundation for its two decades of sustained investment in Nigeria’s agricultural transformation and food security.

The recognition came last week during the grand finale of the 2025 Eko World Food Day, held in alignment with the United Nations’ World Food Day (WFD).
The WFD has been celebrated annually since 1979 to promote worldwide awareness and collective action on hunger and nutrition challenges.

It is coordinated by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and serves as a unifying platform for governments, development agencies, and the private sector to promote sustainable food systems and agricultural innovation.
This year’s global theme, “Hand in Hand, For Better Food and Better Future,” emphasised collaboration across sectors to build resilience, ensure equitable access to nutritious food, and support farmers confronting climate and market pressures.

The Lagos State, in partnership with the BATN Foundation, Stanbic IBTC Bank and other stakeholders, used the 2025 commemoration to drive home the message of collective responsibility in achieving food security.

The State Government and its partners showcased how effective public-private collaboration can unlock value for farmers, strengthen local production, and ensure food affordability across the state’s growing population.

During the event, the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, ‘Bimbola Salu-Hundeyin, commended the BATN Foundation for its “unwavering commitment to empowering farmers, advancing innovation, and deepening resilience in Nigeria’s agricultural value chain.”

A major highlight of the event was the official commissioning and distribution of 60 modern smoking kilns and 40 foldable fish ponds under the Fingerlings to Fork project, a joint initiative of the BATN Foundation and the Lagos State Agricultural Development Authority.

These facilities were distributed to pre-vetted smallholder farmers who have undergone technical and agribusiness training supported by the foundation.

Speaking at the ceremony, Board Director, BATN Foundation, Mr. Yarub Al-Bahrani, noted that the foundation’s work has reached far beyond Lagos.

He said: “Over the past two decades, we have directly impacted more than 300,000 farmers andb reached over 1.7 million beneficiaries, including women and youth, across all 36 states and the FCT.
“Food security is not something any one sector can deliver alone; it requires all of us: government, private sector, civil society, and individuals, working hand in hand for a better future.”

Sanwo-Olu reaffirmed the state’s dedication to food sustainability, highlighting Lagos’s strategic roadmap to enhance agricultural productivity despite its limited landmass.

“Feeding a megacity of over 20 million people requires bold thinking, innovation, and strong partnerships,” he said.

He added: “Lagos remains deeply committed to ensuring food sufficiency and will continue to build partnerships that support farmers and enhance local production.
“Agriculture is not just the bedrock of our economic resilience; it is central to our collective prosperity.”

A Board Director of BATN Foundation, Mrs. Odiri Erewa-Meggison, emphasised that the Foundation’s work embodies this year’s theme.
“The message of ‘Hand in Hand, For Better Food and Better Future’ perfectly captures the spirit of what we do. It’s about equipping farmers with the tools, knowledge, and networks to build climate-resilient and commercially viable agricultural enterprises,” she noted.

The Eko World Food Day celebration also provided a vibrant marketplace where smallholder farmers, supported by the Lagos State Government and the BATN Foundation, sold freshly harvested produce directly to consumers at fair prices, bridging farm-to-market gaps and stimulating rural economies.

Also, stakeholders from Stanbic IBTC Bank, including Mrs. Opeyemi Atunwa, Client Coordinator, Adetoro Adebanjo, Head, Consumer Sector, Nengi Okain, Client Analyst, Consumer Sector, Corporate and Investment Banking. Government officials, smal holder farmers, and representatives from civil society, academia, and the private sector were also in attendance.

Since its establishment in 2002, the BATN Foundation has executed more than 350 community development projects, championing sustainable agriculture, rural enterprise, and youth inclusion as pillars of Nigeria’s food ecosystem.
Its partnerships with state governments, farmer cooperatives, and development agencies continued to demonstrate how private-sector innovation can support national and global goals for sustainable food systems.

As the world marks UN World Food Day 2025, Lagos’s collaboration with partners such as the BATN Foundation underscores the power of working hand in hand, transforming advocacy into action, and ensuring that every investment in agriculture translates into a stronger, more food-secure future for Nigeria.