Towards boosting red meat value chain, as well as ensuring proper hygiene before the product gets to the final consumers, the Lagos State government has launched the last Mile Meat Shops and Butchers Academy as a way to bring comfort to the door steps of residents.

During the launch, which held at Alausa, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Ms. Abisola Olusanya, said the initiative aimed at giving residents confidence on what they consume while also making it look presentable with standard facilities to encourage youth to embrace the space.

Olusanya said the essence of the initiative was for residents to embrace butchery and correct erroneous impression that the profession is reserved for the unenlightened, adding that the 20 feet containers designed as pilot scheme for the initiative could easily be transferred from one location to another.

According to her, each meat shop is to be manned by four youths, allocated a cow, slaughtered at approved government abattoirs and brought to them under hygienic conditions and processes.

She, therefore, demanded for collaboration with the private sector to enlarge the scheme, noting that they have started with 20 feet containers and hope to increase it soon to 40ft.

Olusanya explained that the initiative was part of the Lagos State Agriculture Roadmap, adding that the initial plan is to have 20 for a start, but was reduced to five in the pilot scheme.

On his part, the Chairman, Lagos House of Assembly Committee on Agriculture, Emmanuel Olotu, commended the ministry for introducing ideas that would bring food and comfort to the door steps of residents.

He urged the butchers association to ensure they put into practice what they learnt during training at the academy.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Agriculture, Dr. Oluwarotimi Fashola, said the initiative was a quality-controlled measure in the state to give value for money, assuring that the meat shops will sell in kilogrammes by weight for uniformity purpose.

The Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mr. Emmanuel Audu, described the event as groundbreaking, adding that issues around the meat consumption are important for human existence.

Audu concluded that the Last Mile Meat Shops was a new dimension, especially with youth involvement in the process, expressing hope that the project will receive full acceptance by Lagos residents.

In his goodwill message, the Chairman of, Lagos State Chapter of Butchers Association, Alhaji Kazeem Bakare, who thanked the Lagos State government for initiating the project, adding that the nature and value of cows slaughtered has changed from the past years.

The Managing Director of Palilar Pal Meat International, Apostle Olawale Talabi, appreciates the Governor for the opportunity, adding the vision of the Commissioner is coming to fruition.

Apostle Talabi further said that there is huge market for cow meat in Lagos, noting that over 2,500 were slaughtered daily.

The Last Mile Meat Shops are located in Ijeh area of Dolphin Estate, Surulere and Mushin.