NABG, ADEPTA to diversify Nigeria through agric

The Nigeria Agribusiness Group (NABG) and the Association pour le Development Des Echanges International de Produits et Techniques Agroalimetaires (ADEPTA), a French agribusiness group are working together to boost Nigeria’s agriculture and agribusiness.

The collaboration will involve knowledge sharing; technical assistance and sharing of expertise to jointly develop solutions that will boost agricultural production in the country.

“The relationship is about the development of the agricultural sector. With the knowledge from the French agricultural sector Nigeria will be learning a lot, from crop production, to processing, storage and the entire value chain,” Sanni Dangote, president, Nigeria Agribusiness Group (NABG) and vice president, Dangote Group Limited said at the Franco-Nigerian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) agribusiness summit held recently in Lagos.

“As we are aware there is so much importation of food in the country which is creating jobs for other countries and not Nigerians. With this interaction, we will provide an opportunity for companies in the agribusiness to develop synergy or partnership that can bring about productivity in local content,” he said.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) had already been signed with ADEPTA after President Buhari visit to France last year.

According to Aude roelly, representative for Africa in ADEPTA, “We are bringing in solutions that will fit the needs of the agribusiness sector in Nigeria which means equipment’s, mechanization, adding value with processing machines,  know how expertise, and exchanging experiences.”

The Nigeria agricultural sector was neglected when the country discovered crude oil.

Since the fall in the price of global crude oil which generates more that 70 percent of government revenue, Nigeria has focused on diversifying its economy through agriculture.

“With low oil price and shortage of dollar, reality is setting in that it is very important for agriculture to take its place as the main diver of growth of the Nigerian economy even if the price of oil bounces back,” Dangote said.

Dangote noted that if the country fails to diversify through the agricultural sector there will be problem because of the enormous opportunities sector creates.

According to Emmanuel Ijewere, coordinator, NABG, Nigeria has failed in the past to diversify through agriculture because the government failed to carry the private sector along in what when revolutionalising the sector.

“But now there is a change which we believe will bring a different result this time around,” Ijewere said.