The Nigeria Conservation Foundation (NCF) has partnered with Catalysts Integrated Developing Agro Company (CIDAC) International Ventures on Eco and Food Tourism in Lagos.
The partnership saw the exhibition and sale of Indigenous Nigerian foods and food items for tourists visiting the Lekki Conservation Center in Lagos.
Speaking to newsmen at the event, the Director-General, NCF, Dr Joseph Onoja said that the Eco and Food Tourism. is an event that showcases the culinary skills and different foods that we have in the country.
Represented by Mr Ayodele Alamu of the Business and Development Department, NCF Onoja said that the event is also a way of using food to drive tourism,while also letting people be aware of the fact that all the food products.are provided by the environment, which of course, you know,is what we are passionate about
The D-G said that the foundation is delighted to be partnering with CIDAC to promote the event so that it goes viral.
He noted that there was great potentials in food tourism that needs to be tapped into
Also speaking, Mrs Bridget Olotu, Founder, Catalysts Integrated for Developing Agro Company (CIDAC) Internationall Ventures and Native Food Mart, urged government at all levels to support rural farmers through the provision of infrastructures and equipment.
Olotu, a Farmer, said that farmers in the rural areas were in dire need of good road infrastructures to transport their food from the farms to points of sale and electricity.
According to her, the provision of mechanical transtors and hand driven tractors will also assist rural farmers in tilling and cultivating the land prior to planting.
She said that CIDAC work with women and youth farmers across the country in their small communities to improve their products to meet international standards.
Olotu said that different parts of the country have their unique food items and farm produce which necessitated the setting up of the online native food mart.
She said that the setting up of the online shop, native food Mart to ensure that Nigerian foods get to any destination in the world.
She said that CIDAC is also veey passionate about the less privilege.
” We are community -driven in everything we are doing.
“We believe in Nigerians building Nigeria,” Olotu said.
She said that the idea of the food tourism in partnership with the Nigerian Conservation Foundation is to promote Nigerian foods.
“Most of our foods in Nigeria are organic,” Olotu said.
She explained that in Asia, the Asians eat their indigenous foods.
She listed some of the high quality food items they produce as Ofada Garri, Ofada Rice , Barbara nuts, Kano spices,palm oil and plantain and fish.
“People from the US and Canada have reached out to us and we are able to send them our products,” Olotu added.
