Workshop promotes composting and biogas production as the state steps up its climate-smart agriculture drive
By Bunmi Yekini
The Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture and Food Systems has partnered with the environmental group Pan African Vision for the Environment (PAVE) to train poultry farmers on organic waste management techniques to reduce methane emissions, as authorities seek to align agricultural production with climate goals.
The one-day workshop, held at the Aiyedoto Poultry Estate in Ojo, brought together 33 livestock farmers for training on converting poultry waste into compost and other reusable products instead, of manure to decompose in open dumps, where it releases methane, a greenhouse gas significantly more potent than carbon dioxide.
The programme forms part of the ZeroWaste Ambassadors Project and the Multi-solving Action to Methane Reduction in Nigeria (MAMRN), an initiative promoting climate-smart farming practices and improved waste management across farming communities.
Poultry farming is a major contributor to food production and livelihoods in Lagos, but the accumulation of untreated poultry manure has become an environmental challenge, generating odour, attracting pests and contributing to greenhouse gas emissions.
Officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Systems said the collaboration with PAVE was intended to strengthen sustainable food production while encouraging environmentally responsible farming practices.
Participants received practical training on accelerated aerobic composting, biological treatment of organic waste and the basics of capturing waste gases for household biogas production. The sessions were facilitated by environmental experts, including Renevlyn Development Initiative Executive Director Philip Jakpor and PAVE Senior Programmes Manager Victoria Aghaji.
PAVE President Anthony Akpan said the initiative sought to transform agricultural waste from an environmental burden into an economic resource by encouraging farmers to produce organic fertiliser that could reduce dependence on chemical inputs while improving soil quality.
He said the project was designed to deliver multiple benefits, including lower greenhouse gas emissions, improved public health, reduced urban pollution and stronger resilience against climate change.
The workshop also featured a screening of The Plastic Detox, a documentary examining the environmental impacts of plastic pollution and practical approaches to sustainable waste management.
During a visit to the estate’s compost dumping site, participants observed that much of the equipment and infrastructure needed for large-scale compost production had fallen into disrepair, limiting efforts to process the growing volume of poultry waste.
Chairman of Aiyedoto Poultry Estate, Folusho Adams, appealed for support to rehabilitate the facility, saying improved waste processing would help address long-standing concerns over odour and insect infestations affecting neighbouring communities.
Akpan and Jakpor pledged to work with stakeholders to identify solutions for restoring the composting infrastructure, saying improved waste management could support both environmental protection and the development of a circular economy in Lagos’ agricultural sector.