As part of efforts to encourage women, youths, and students to embrace agriculture as a sustainable means of livelihood, the First Lady of Lagos State and State Coordinator for the Renewed Hope Initiative, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu has launched the 2025 Lagos Chapter of the Renewed Hope Initiative- Agricultural Support Programme (RHI-ASP) for residents across Lagos State.
Sanwo-Olu, while addressing beneficiaries of the 2025 edition of the RHI Agricultural Support Programme held at Lagos House, Ikeja, yesterday, noted that this initiative, birthed by the visionary leadership of the First Lady of Nigeria and Chairman, Renewed Hope Initiative, Oluremi Tinubu, is poised to boost the nation’s food security, thereby encouraging women, youths and the younger generation to embrace home gardening.
The First Lady of Lagos State explained that the RHI-ASP Initiative comprises four core project components, which include: Women Agricultural Support Program (WASP), Youth Agricultural Support Program (YASP), Every Home a Garden (EHAG), and the Young Farmers Club (YFC).
She informed that the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, in partnership with the Renewed Hope Initiative, has supported each State with a sum of N60,000,000 (Sixty Million Naira).
Providing a breakdown of the distribution process, the First Lady explained that 200 beneficiaries under the Women and Youth Agricultural Support Programmes were each awarded ₦200,000 grants, along with essential farming inputs, to improve their productivity.
Meanwhile, 60 participants under the Every Home a Garden initiative received ₦100,000 to support backyard farming activities. Beneficiaries, she said, were selected through an online registration process covering the three senatorial districts of the state.
Dr. Sanwo-Olu also announced the enrollment of over 120 students into the second phase of the Young Farmers Club (YFC 2.0), with five students each selected from both junior and senior secondary schools across the state’s six educational districts. These students have been provided with complete farming kits, including seeds of tomatoes, peppers, and assorted vegetables.
The First Lady of Lagos State concluded her remarks by appreciating the significant efforts of the First Lady of Nigeria and Chairman, Renewed Hope Initiative, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu (CON), through the RHI-ASP in encouraging home farming across numerous homes in the Nation, which will ultimately bring much-needed relief to many Nigerians, promoting agricultural development and food security.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Chairman, Office of the First Lady, Lagos State Farmers Committee, Ayo Afuwape, opined that the First Lady of Nigeria and the First Lady of Lagos State have been consistent in their belief that agriculture remains an enduring solution to some socio-economic challenges, adding that several success stories and thriving businesses have emanated from previous edition of the programme.
It is worth noting that beneficiaries began receiving their ₦200,000 and ₦100,000 credit alerts through their various bank accounts during the event, an immediate testament to the programme’s transparent and efficient disbursement system.
The 2025 RHI-ASP Lagos also had the attendance of the Wife of the Deputy Governor, Oluremi Hamzat, Commissioner for Agriculture and Food System, Abisola Olusanya, Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Jamiu Alli-Balogun, Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Cecelia Dada, Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, Permanent Secretaries of various ministries, among other top government functionaries.
