NABG sets agenda for agric policy direction at AGM
At its Annual General Meeting which drew key stakeholders in the nation’s private and public sectors, the Nigeria Agribusiness Group (NABG) has set agenda for agriculture policy direction, ways of strengthening agribusiness associations and engaging strategic partners and donors.
The Nigeria Agribusiness Group was inaugurated in 2013 to serve as the engine of growth and custodian of good agricultural policies regardless of which government is in office. The AGM preceded a two-day workshop on agribusiness and investment facilitation for its members and stakeholders in the industry.
Held at the Muson Centre, Lagos, the event was well attended by representatives across the agricultural value chain such as farmer associations, governmental ministries, departments and agencies, donor/development partners, commodity associations, agro-dealers, agric-equipment dealers, input suppliers, food processors, consultants, finance houses/institutions, agriculture and research institutions and so on.
Registered as NABG Associates, the Nigeria Agribusiness Group (NABG) is an organised private sector platform for strengthening agriculture and agribusiness associations. It is also recognised as an “all-inclusive” private sector partner of the Federal Government of Nigeria to set policy direction through public sector engagement.
Sani Dangote, managing director, Dansa Foods and chairman, NABG presided over the identification of the various associations and the categories of their membership under NABG going forward. With Emmanuel Ijewere, chairman, Best Foods and coordinator, NABG and Sonny T. Echono, permanent secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), the Agribusiness Inter-Ministerial Working Group was inaugurated.
Echono in his speech said, “The NABG is helping government to ensure that Nigeria regains its past glory in agricultural production and productivity and in export trade of agricultural fresh produce. NABG is helping us to set policy direction for the ongoing reforms of the agriculture sector. The NABG is continuing to work closely with the government to improve further the business environment for agriculture.”
Echono further said that the journey with NABG started almost three years ago at the First Nigeria’s Eminent Persons Group (EPG) meeting in Geneva Switzerland (held January 2013), followed by the Second Nigeria’s EPG meeting in New York in September of the same year. The EPG, according to him provided high level advisory services on Nigeria’s agriculture transformation and challenged the private sector to not only turn investment commitments into real investments, but to also create an organised private sector platform that will advocate for good reforms in Nigeria’s agricultural sector.
Present at the first meeting of the EPG in Geneva was Emmanuel Ijewere. Present at the second meeting of the EPG was Sani Dangote. It was therefore not surprising that these two individuals were selected by the former minister of agriculture and rural development, Akinwumi Adesina to lead the affairs of the organised private sector group which is now known as the Nigeria Agribusiness Group (NABG Associates Unlimited).
The EPG included Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft Corporation and co-founder of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), Kanayo Nwanze, President of IFAD, a Nigerian, Kofi Annan, former secretary-general of the United Nation, a Ghanaian, Donald Kaberuka, a Rwandan who is former President of African Development Bank, and Akinwumi Adesina, a Nigerian, former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, now President of African Development Bank.
All the various stakeholders believe that the agricultural landscape in Nigeria has been transformed and well positioned to diversify the economy away from oil and gas towards agricultural industrialisation.
OLUYINKA ALAWODE