International Agribusiness
Summit and Expo
Communiqué
The International Agricultural Business Summit organized by
the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) in collaboration
with the Kwara State Government and AgroNigeria took place
at Kwara Hotel, Ilorin from 28th to 30th
July, 2009.
The main theme of the Summit was Agribusiness Investment:
Destination West Africa; with sub-themes on Operating
Environment in West Africa Agribusiness, Policy and Strategy
for Agribusiness Growth and Finance Technology and Markets.
The Summit had a wide range of participants from the Public
Sector, Private Sector, Practicing Farmers from over 15
states of the Federation and international participants from
Ghana, Italy, America, India and Uganda. There was a wide
range of exhibition of agricultural products and services
and a visit to the New Nigerian Commercial Farms Shonga. The
Minister of Commerce and Industry was also represented.
The participants were pleased with the level of development
in four years at the New Nigerian Commercial Farms Shonga
and advocated for replication in all the senatorial
districts in Nigeria.
The Summit appreciated the windows of opportunity for rapid
Agricultural Development and Trade provided by the
administration of the Executive Governor of Kwara State, His
Excellency, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, the Turaki of Ilorin
in the following areas:
-
The provision
of the Perishable Cargo Terminal to facilitate both local
and international trade especially for the entire middle
belt Agricultural trade.
-
Ease of
access to large expanse of land for commercial agricultural
within 14 days of request from Kwara State Government and
other core investors outside the state.
-
Provision of
rural finance and infrastructure for rapid development of
the Agric Sector.
-
Deliberate
effort and commitment at replacing ageing farmer population
with educated young farmers.
-
Stable
electricity resulting from the commencement of the NIPP
Project.
The following
resolutions were agreed upon by the participants:
-
Food is an
instrument of security (food security), a strategic
instrument of diplomacy and a rigid instrument of
fundamental human rights. Therefore Government’s attitude
should change from paying lip service to actual
implementation of solutions in order to enhance food
sufficiency and security.
-
The urgent
request for legislation against government policy
inconsistency in the Agric Sector and the need to involve
farmers, commodity traders, processors who are the stake
holders in policy formulation in order to ensure positive
impact on the farming population.
-
There is a
grassroots protest against the present policies on
fertilizer procurement, marketing and distribution. The
private sector and other stakeholders must rise up to
monitor and evaluate the implementation of all policies made
in the agric sector.
-
Agriculture in
Nigeria must be promoted from subsistence to commercial
level by establishment of clusters in order to encourage
full time business to create wealth. Agriculture must also
be created to attract young farmers into mechanized
agriculture.
-
Government should
motivate and encourage farmers to integrate into farmers’
cooperative societies which will ease their rapid access to
bank loans, support from development partners.
-
The urgent need
to promote organic farming so as to protect the environment
against severe climate changes and human health and agric
mechanization to increase agric production, productivity,
increase in farm cultivation, soil fertility and return on
investment in agriculture.
-
State Government
should initiate the establishment of perishable cargo
terminals at all airport in Nigeria to enhance internal and
external trade in perishable commodities.
-
Summit agreed
that the establishment of appropriate product value chain
has become more relevant than finance in facilitating agric
development and commodity.
-
West African
market integration is critical in Agricultural development
and Commodities trading. We call on all
countries of the sub-region to facilitate the implementation
of common Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)
protocols for movement of goods and services.
Participation & Exhibition:
The 3-Day International Agribusiness Summit /Expo
jointly organized by the NESG and Agro-Nigeria and hosted by
Kwara State, held between Tuesday, 28th July –
Thursday, 30th
July, 2009 at the Kwara Hotel, Ilorin, Kwara State.
The Summit with the theme: Agribusiness Investment:
Destination West Africa, attracted participants from
across states in Nigeria, West Africa, Italy and America.
Participants came from 15 states in Nigeria including three
(3) Commissioners of Agriculture (Akwa Ibom, Bauchi and
Kwara), Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Agriculture
Committees of State Houses of Assembly.
The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on
Agriculture and a representative of the Hon. Minister of
Commerce and Industry were also in attendance. Other
participants include farmer organizations such as Apex
Farmers Organization (AFAN), Cassava Growers Association and
executives of agro-allied firms.
International participants included Ghana Investment
Promotion Center (GIPC) and Agricoma Italia, a Rome-based
company Italy and an agro-allied firm from the United States
of America that is currently proposing to invest in Nigeria.
Out of the total participants, only 42 paid participation
fees of N10, 000.00 each. The bulk of the rest included
resource persons, officials of state and federal governments
and international development agencies. The Kwara State LOC provided an exhibition pavilion which
they also coordinated and managed. However, the facility
only witnessed less than 30% capacity utilization due to
poor marketing and coordination by the Kwara State Ministry
of Agriculture.
Shonga Farm Visit
Participants were taken to the New Nigerian Farmers Project
in Shonga. The Honourable Commissioner for Agriculture led
the entourage and introduced the farmers and their different
projects. Participants expressed their delight on the
exposition.
Past
activities and events
International
Agribusiness Summit & Expo 2009
Tuesday 28th – Thursday 30th July, 2009 was held at Kwara
Hotels & Pavilion, Ilorin, Kwara State - Nigeria. The summit
was hosted by the Kwara State Government and was jointly
Organized by the NESG & AgroNigeria.
Summit presentations
The presentations of speakers at the summit can be
downloaded using the download links provided below
Using Microfinance Banks As A
Platform For Developing Critical Infrastructure For Rural
Development: A Look At MAMCIS Cooperative Trust Fund by Benjamin
Aduli
Incentives
and Regulations for Agribusiness Investment by A.M. Lawal
Incentives and Regulations for Agribusiness Investments in
Nigeria by Hervé Assahl
Agricoma Italia: The UNACOMA Agriculture Machines Export
Consortium
Promoting the Investment Potentials of Rural Farmers for Growth
and Development
Agro-Investment Opportunities in Nigeria: An Appraisal of the
Policy and Business Environment by Prof. G.B. Ayoola
Policy and Investment Incentives for West African Agribusiness
Sector: Ghana's Experience by Dr. Peter Ankrah
Organic Agriculture in West African Agribusiness: Filling the
Farm Fertility Gap by Dr. T.I. Olabiyi
The National Fertilizer Policy 2006 Implementation by Innocent
Azih (NESG)
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