Background:

The Strengthening Advocacy for Small Scale Producers (SSPs) Project, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) and implemented by the Nigerian Agribusiness Group (NABG), aims to improve the livelihoods of Nigeria’s 40 million small-scale producers. Most of these producers are subsistence farmers with an average farm size of less than a hectare and productivity levels among the lowest globally. This has left them economically unviable, financially excluded, and vulnerable. Recognizing these challenges, the SSPs Project focuses on advocating for institutional reforms and policies that enhance the viability and competitiveness of small-scale producers, ensuring inclusive sustainable growth.

To achieve these goals, the SSPs Project involves several key components designed to strengthen NABG’s capacity and advocacy efforts. One significant initiative is the establishment of a Policy Analysis Intervention Fund. This fund will support policy studies, inform policy recommendations, develop a knowledge platform for policy reports and documentation, and disseminate information to stakeholders. Additionally, the project will support the development of a five-year strategic plan for NABG, create cross-learning opportunities for the NABG team, and provide technical staff to enhance the potency and effectiveness of the NABG secretariat.

Developing a robust NABG membership platform is another critical component of the SSPs Project. This will be achieved through presidential roundtables and national economic council meetings, serving as key outlets to advocate for the development and implementation of national and state-level agribusiness policies. These policies will focus on the productivity of small-scale producers, and gender and youth inclusion. The project will also foster off-taking opportunities with major industry players for commodity aggregation, promoting a win-win culture for both the off-takers and the smallholder farmers, thereby increasing the income of the latter.

Furthermore, the SSPs Project will work on developing commodity standards and ratings in collaboration with relevant agencies such as the Ministry of Trade and Investment and the Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON). The focus will be on reviewing, approving, and publishing standards and ratings for key commodities like vegetables, maize, and soybeans. This initiative aims to enhance the quality and marketability of these commodities, benefiting both producers and consumers.

A pivotal aspect of the SSPs Project is the advocacy for a national integrated agribusiness agenda. This agenda will serve as a roadmap for engaging small-scale producers and developing Nigeria’s agribusiness environment. NABG will use platforms such as the Presidential Roundtables and the Nigeria Governors Forum to advocate for this agenda, which will inform the development of future national or sub-national plans for the agriculture sector, including the proposed Medium-term National Development Plans (2026-2030), Nigeria Agenda 2050, and state government agricultural agendas. By leading the development of this agenda in collaboration with key stakeholders in government, the private sector, and associations, NABG aims to drive inclusive and sustainable growth in Nigeria’s agricultural sector, ensuring that small-scale producers become viable and competitive players in the market.