Food Security: Roshe Agro hosts food/culture workshop, promotes locally farm fish

By Efe Onodjae 

A farm-to-market aquaculture company, Roshe Agro, has convened key stakeholders in the hospitality and food service industry to advocate increased adoption of locally farmed fish as a driver of business growth and national food security.

The event, tagged Food x Culture Workshop, held at Freedom Park Lagos, brought together operators within the HORECA (Hotels, Restaurants, Cafés) sector, alongside experts in agriculture and food systems.

Delivering the keynote address on behalf of the Lagos State Government, Permanent Secretary, Emmanuel Audu, who represented the Commissioner for Agriculture, Abisola Olusanya, emphasised the role of aquaculture in strengthening food security, improving nutrition, and stimulating economic growth.

He noted that increased collaboration between the public and private sectors remains critical to building a sustainable and traceable food ecosystem in the state.

Speakers at the workshop, including Olarinmoye Abayomi of Andersen Consulting and Olawale Ogunlana, highlighted the need for food businesses to optimise their value chain from sourcing to customer experience.

They stressed that demand is shifting towards clean, healthy, and traceable protein sources, adding that businesses that embrace locally farmed fish stand to gain competitive advantage and customer loyalty.

Founder of Roshe Agro, Dada Foluso, said the company has focused on vertically integrated fish farming since 2022, producing tilapia and catfish in the Lagos Lagoon axis of Epe.

According to him, the firm leverages technology-driven systems to ensure quality control, traceability, and consistency in supply.

Participants at the workshop were also exposed to practical sessions, including tasting experiences where locally farmed tilapia was prepared into indigenous dishes by partner restaurants, demonstrating its quality and suitability for commercial use.

Industry operators at the event identified persistent challenges such as inconsistent fish sizes, unreliable supply chains, and lack of traceability, which they say affect menu planning and customer satisfaction.

Roshe Agro stated that its production and distribution model is designed to address these gaps by providing graded, fresh, and traceable fish products to the market.

The company further noted that growing institutional support from the Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture and Food Systems signals increased commitment to boosting local production and reducing dependence on imports.

Stakeholders at the event called for deeper collaboration across the value chain, noting that improved sourcing practices could enhance profitability, brand perception, and overall service delivery within the hospitality sector.

Roshe Agro added that it plans to expand its operations through cage-culture farming and strengthened cold-chain logistics, with a view to supporting Nigeria’s evolving food ecosystem.