The Lagos State Government on Sunday said the Eko City Farmers’ Market, Ileya edition, would hold in 26 public schools in the state.

The Acting Commissioner for Agriculture, Ms Abisola Olusanya, said the occasion, scheduled for Sunday, July 26, would enhance agricultural supply by connecting all the value chains with their markets.

According to Olusanya, the Eko City Farmers’ Market is a platform where the best of Lagos producers will meet consumers and end users by using the traditional and innovative development methods to showcase “a well organised high quality market to meet the consumers’ ever increasing demand for farm produce.”

She added that the market would also help in rebuilding the local food economies by providing a cost-effective, retail-sales prospect for local food producers in the state.

“The notable objectives of the decentralised Eko City Farmers’ Market are to provide Lagosians access to a wide variety of fresh, local, in-season farm produce direct from the producers; and to make Lagos the most desirable destination for businesses with direct socio-economic impact and beneficial returns,” Olusanya said.

The acting commissioner noted that the market would also provide an informal social gathering place in an open-air setting for the community where the market was situated, as well as demonstrate environmental stewardship.

She identified the local governments where the markets would be set up as Mushin, Alimosho, Surulere, Ikeja, Apapa, Lagos Mainland, Eti-Osa, Ifako Ijaiye, Lagos Island, Kosofe, Oshodi-Isolo, Epe, Badagry, Ikorodu and Agege.

Olusanya stressed that safety guidelines had been put at each of the markets, urging strict adherence to the measures by shoppers, including social distancing.