by Aliyu Bello | Sep 30, 2024 | News, Agribusiness, NABG
Arc. Kabir Ibrahim, National President of All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), has said that full scale importation of food into Nigeria cannot make the country food secure, saying that the effort in that regard will forever remain stop-gap or palliative.
A release on Sunday issued by Ibrahim, explained that Nigeria can only mitigate, what he described as “imminent hunger catastrophe through focused agriculture and sustainable agribusiness.”
Ibrahim, who is also the President of Nigeria Agribusiness Group (NABG), said the current level of crushing food inflation occasioned by stresses in Nigeria’s Food System sprouting from low productivity predicated on low mechanisation,difficulty in access to credit,access to veritable and affordable seeds, access to manageable and ready-to-go transportation, inadequate smart agricultural facilitation, insecurity and lately flooding as well as drought in some places due to the severe effects of climate change are making it next to impossible to enable the average household to put food on the table.
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by Amrah Aliyu | Sep 6, 2024 | Agribusiness, NABG
At the African Food Systems Forum (#AFS2024), Africa’s leading platform for agricultural innovation and food security in Kigali Rwanda, the Nigeria Agribusiness Group (NABG) made a powerful impact. With an assembly of over 2,000 stakeholders from across the continent, the forum was a convergence of minds dedicated to revolutionizing Africa’s food systems.
Led by NABG’s esteemed President, Arc. Kabir Ibrahim, and accompanied by our Director General, Jafar Umar, alongside other elected officials and board members, NABG played a pivotal role in the strategic discussions that shaped the event.
The forum, renowned for its focus on advancing sustainable agricultural practices, provided a platform for NABG to champion innovative approaches and advocate for policies that promote the growth and resilience of Africa’s agricultural sector.
The Urgency of Africa’s Agricultural Transformation
Data from the United Nations and the African Development Bank AFDB indicates that African population is forecast to double by 2050 to at least 2.4 billion and will continue to grow to 4.2 billion, four times its current size in the next 100 years. This exponential growth presents a unique challenge—feeding the continent’s expanding population sustainably. At #AFS2024, NABG joined forces with key stakeholders to address this challenge head-on, focusing on climate-smart agriculture, innovation in agribusiness, and the creation of resilient food systems.
Key Highlights from AFS2024
1. Strategic Discussions on Climate-Smart Agriculture and Food Security
Climate change poses a significant threat to food security, particularly in Africa, where agriculture is a primary livelihood for millions. At AFS2024, NABG was at the forefront of discussions on climate-smart agriculture, emphasizing the need for practices that not only increase productivity but also enhance resilience to climate impacts. Our delegation highlighted successful initiatives and explored new strategies to mitigate the effects of climate change on African agriculture.
2. Forging Partnerships to Drive Innovation in Agribusiness
Innovation is critical to transforming Africa’s food systems. During the forum, NABG forged strategic partnerships aimed at driving technological advancements and scaling up agribusinesses across the continent. These collaborations are expected to accelerate the adoption of modern agricultural practices, enhance value chains, and open up new markets for African farmers.
3. Advocating for Sustainable Agricultural Development
Policy advocacy remains a cornerstone of NABG’s mission. At AFS2024, our leaders engaged with policymakers, development partners, and private sector stakeholders to push for policies that support sustainable agricultural development. These discussions focused on creating an enabling environment for investment in agriculture, improving access to finance for farmers, and ensuring that agricultural practices align with environmental sustainability goals.
NABG’s Commitment to Africa’s Agricultural Future
NABG is committed to leading the charge in reshaping Africa’s food systems. By participating in forums like AFS2024, we are not only contributing to the global dialogue on agriculture but also ensuring that Africa’s voice is heard. Our engagement at the forum underscores NABG’s dedication to fostering a resilient and sustainable agricultural sector that can feed the continent and beyond.
As we move forward, NABG will continue to work closely with our partners, leveraging the insights and connections gained at AFS2024 to drive meaningful change in Africa’s agricultural landscape.
Let’s build a future where Africa’s food systems are robust, inclusive, and capable of withstanding the challenges of tomorrow.
#AFS2024 #InnovateAccelerateScale #AfricaFoodSystems2024 #NABG #SustainableAgriculture #ClimateSmartAgriculture
by Aliyu Bello | Jun 25, 2024 | Agribusiness, NABG, Partnership, Policy
NABG, in collaboration with National Agricultural Seed Council (NASC), hosted the Seed Policy Implementation Roundtable at the NASC HQs in FCT. The meeting had in attendance representatives from Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN), Harvest Plus, Seed Association of Nigeria (SEEDAN), the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), AGRA, JESNOCH International Limited, and the Farm and Infrastructure Foundation (FIF) where we explored the National Seed Policy’s key provisions, implementation challenges, and strategies for improvement.
Highlights included a dynamic Q&A session and collaborative discussions on regulatory requirements, stakeholder roles, resources, and monitoring. A stakeholder workshop on the implementation framework and stakeholder roles is the outcome of this meeting to happen in the next 2 weeks. Thank you to all stakeholders for your invaluable contributions, while we continue to innovate and work together for a sustainable agricultural landscape in Nigeria!
by Aliyu Bello | Jun 5, 2024 | Partnership, Agribusiness, NABG
World Milk Day is an international day established by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations to recognise the importance of milk as a global food. It has been observed on June 1 each year since 2001. With Nigeria Agribusiness Group (NABG) being the leading Policy advocacy platform for all agribusiness the DG, Mr Jafar Umar, and othe Board Members of the NABG participated in World Milk Day. A key highlight of the event was the launch of the Dairy Policy. The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Dr Sabi Abdullahi, disclosed that the federal government will introduce a comprehensive dairy policy on June 4, 2024, aimed at enhancing self-sufficiency in dairy production and to diminish reliance on imports.
He disclosed that Vice President Kashim Shettima would unveil the policy, marking a significant stride toward bolstering Nigeria’s dairy sector. Stating Nigeria’s theme for the day/occasion: “Harnessing the Nutrition and Investment Opportunities in the Dairy Value Chain”, Abdullahi underscored the vital role of the dairy industry in ensuring quality nutrition, particularly for women and children. He said the forthcoming policy sought to implement various initiatives to improve dairy farming practices, foster Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), enhance animal health and boost investment in dairy processing and preservation.
Similarly, the President of the Commercial Dairy Ranchers Association of Nigeria (CODARAN) and Board Member of NABG, Muhammadu Abubakar, underscored the significance of the dairy industry for both economic prosperity and nutritional wellbeing. He called for increased investments and collaboration among industry players to propel the sector’s growth and contribute to Nigeria’s socio-economic advancement.
In conclusion, World Milk Day 2024 served as a springboard for significant developments in Nigeria’s dairy industry. The launch of the National Dairy Policy, coupled with the emphasis on harnessing the sector’s nutritional and economic potential, indicates a strong commitment from the government and industry leaders. By fostering collaboration, improving practices, and attracting investment, Nigeria appears poised to achieve self-sufficiency in dairy production and ensure a more secure and nutritious future for its citizens.
by Aliyu Bello | May 15, 2024 | Partnership, Agribusiness, NABG
In efforts to create lasting and impact-full partnership, NABG received Ashul Sharma from @TechnoServe implementing the Commercial Agriculture for Smallholders and Agribusiness (CASA). TA is expanding to include access to finance & access to markets for agribusiness and farmers, a model that NABG is already implementing. While we urge you to look forward to collaborating this amazing partnership with Technoserve and implementing a pilot project is not far fetched and perhaps starting later this year.
by Aliyu Bello | May 13, 2024 | NABG, News, Partnership
The International Trade Centre, an agency of the United Nations, is leading the implementation of a project called “ARRIVES” targeting returnees from Germany aiming to start a business as part of their resettlement and reintegration in Nigeria. The ITC is looking to the NABG to support the implementation of this project by providing coaching and mentorship to these returnees in different Value Chains to enable them to function as proper agribusinesses. welcomes this partnership with open arms.
