October 21, (THEWILL) – The South-South coordinator of Nigeria Agribusiness and Agro-industry Development Initiative (NADDI), Mr Howard Usen, has stressed the need for private individuals and organisations to partner with the ARISE agenda initiative of the present administration in Akwa Ibom State, especially the aspect of the Agricultural Revolution.
Addressing a press conference in Uyo, ahead of the Third Agribusiness Round-table Conference, which will be held at Ibom Hotel and Golf Resort in Uyo, Usen said the Agricultural Revolution in the ARISE Agenda is key to the growth of the state and must be taken seriously.
Usen, who disclosed that the conference would play host to key ministers in the agro-industry sector, including the minister of water resources, trade and investment as well as the minister in charge of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, noted that the Arise initiative has good projects that need partnership to succeed.
He said the agribusiness conference is expected to boost export promotion drive among commodity producers, provide financing options for farmers and a talk shop for sustainable agro-allied businesses.
Organised by Nigeria Agribusiness and Agro-industry Development Initiative (NADDI), the Federation of Agricultural Commodity Association of Nigeria and the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment and Agriculture and Rural Development, it has as its theme, ‘Unlocking agribusiness opportunities for economic sustainability,’ and is expected to draw participants from key sectors of the economy including policymakers.
Usen, who is also the chairman Central Planning Committee (CPC) of the conference, said the conference would unlock agribusiness opportunities and proffer solutions on how to tap into the opportunities and ensure sustainable operations, adding that banks and financial institutions would be available to offer suggestions and guidelines on financing options for agribusinesses.
According to him, it will offer guidelines on how commodities can be presented to be accepted for exports which would earn foreign exchange and boost the export promotion drive.
He pointed out that Nigerians must be ready and willing to learn the current trends in agribusiness and marketing, saying that the conference would avail participants of the knowledge on how to produce exportable products without chemicals.
“Agribusiness is a sustainable venture. It has the capacity to create thousands of jobs along its value chain but there must be a sustainable system to drive its growth and whoever comes in must follow the system because business is about integrity”. He stated.
He assured that people would derive multiple benefits from attending the conference and that there would be exhibitions of various agricultural products and opportunities for networking among the participants.
He added that the conference would provide the platform to examine non-oil exports to develop the capacity to access credit facilities from banks.
Usen however, lamented the challenge faced by farmers and entrepreneurs in the sector, saying that apart from finance which he said has been a major hindrance, there was also the primary concern of coming together as team players and getting things done in the right way.
“We have to become team players in the sector where we are the major consumers; we have to develop programmes that will support agriculture to achieve sustainable goals.
“This conference is going to improve upon its earlier programmes, the quality of participants, discussions and participants who will also include governors, it will give attendees hope from funding to expertise in agribusiness operations,” he said.
He said over eight Nigerian governors are expected to grace the conference slated for the 27th, 28th and 29th of October 2024.
