How SMEs can benefit in agric transformation agenda

The Agricultural Transformation Agenda of the current government with emphasis on value chains has opened up lots of business opportunities for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to tap into.

Therefore, the women entrepreneurs’ network under the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association called NECA Network of Entrepreneurial Women (NNEW) is organising its 2014 conference on agriculture to explore some of the benefits.

Though NNEW is primarily a platform aimed at promoting entrepreneurship among women, this conference holding Wednesday, June 18, at NECA House, Lagos, is opened to both male and female entrepreneurs. It aims to affirm agriculture as the pivot for economic development in Nigeria and therefore provide entrepreneurs the opportunities to know how they can tap into this Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA).

According to Lola Okanlawon, president, NNEW, the conference will bridge the gap between potential and contemporary key stakeholders in the agriculture sector so as to enable entrepreneurs tap into the sustainability of the nation’s prosperity through agriculture.

“It will also be a rare opportunity for participants to gain key insights from and engage with prominent agro-business leaders, senior public sector representatives and investors who are shaping the face of agriculture in Nigeria today,” Okanlawon said.

According to Edobong Akpabio, publicity secretary, NNEW, the keynote speaker for the conference will be Gbolahan Lawal, commissioner for agriculture and co-operatives, Lagos State, who will be speaking on the theme: ‘Agriculture: The Pivot for Economic Development in Nigeria.’

She said: “A group of panellists will discuss the topic “The Role of SMEs in the Sustainable Development of the Agricultural Sector in Nigeria.”

OLUYINKA ALAWODE