FG launches Agribusiness Resource center

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has launched the Nigeria Agribusiness Resource Center for Agricultural Investment in Nigeria.

Performing the launch in Abuja on Friday, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbe, represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr. Bukar Hassan, said:

“In line with the economic recovery program of the current administration which aims at restoring growth, investing in our people, installing a world class economy and diversifying the economy from oil sector to agriculture;

it has become imperative to promote agricultural investment and exportation of agricultural produce out of the country.”

The Minister revealed that interestingly, the country has recorded encouraging progress in agricultural exports in recent times.

He said: “Interestingly, we have recorded encouraging progress in our agricultural exports. In quarter 1 of 2017, agricultural exports increased by 82% over quarter 4 of 2016 levels.

Exports earnings from agricultural goods stood at N30 billion, made up of Sesame seed export of N3.7 billion to Turkey, N1.6 billion to China and N1.6 billion to Canada; Soya bean export of N3.4 billion to Russia and N1.2 billion to Greece;

Frozen Shrimp export of N2.2 billion to the Netherlands, Cashew nuts export of N1.8 billion to Vietnam and also crude Palm Kernel oil export of N1.2 billion to the Netherlands,” he stressed.

Ogbe said that investors and exporters of agricultural export produce from the country would need a more reliable single point of contact as intermediary with government to facilitate tailored agricultural investment support services,

high quality market data, information and access to agricultural programs, investment plans and other opportunities for partnership lamenting lack of well-functioning agricultural resource center to assist investors with all necessary tasks of setting up agribusiness and create uncertainty in attracting and facilitating investments.

“As a way of achieving this, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development sought and secured the support of the USAID-Africa Lead and the United States Government Feed the Future Initiative for the establishment of a Nigeria Agribusiness Resource Center,” he said.

In her earlier remarks, the Africa Lead WA Regional Director, Carla Denizzard in recognition of high unemployment rates among youths in Africa and the increasing demand for interest in Agribusiness among youths and women, Africa designed Agribusiness

and entrepreneurship boot camp course saying, “the goal of the Entrepreneurship and Agribusiness Development Course is to enhance the capacity of Agri-business or start up a business identification.”