In a bid to improve the competitiveness and sustainability of the palm oil sector in Nigeria and make farmers standard ready with regards to the European Union Policy of Products, a non-governmental organisation, Solidaridad, under the Pathway to Prosperity project has organised capacity workshop for 30 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) from Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Cross River, Delta, Enugu and Kogi states.
The European Union has set a deadline for deforestation-free oil palm production by December 31, 2024 towards sustainable production systems.
The workshop entitled: “Understanding Palm Oil Traceability, Branding and Marketing in Nigeria,” will support the SMEs to develop strategies for kickstarting palm oil traceability for smallholder farmers in their states of operation, develop marketing plans aimed at expanding Nigerian palm oil’s reach in domestic and international markets.
It would also help them to understand effective branding that highlights the unique qualities of Nigerian palm oil and enhance the knowledge of participants on the importance and implementation of traceability systems in Nigeria’s palm oil supply chain.
One of the objectives of the workshop is to support farmers to meet the market requirements of the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) which has set a deadline for deforestation-free oil palm production by end of this year.
Programme manager of Solidaridad, Kene Onukwube, said they were focused on helping farmers to be standards-ready, adding that they want to equip them with the relevant standards so that they will comply with any policy or regulation particularly on oil palm.
Onukwube warned that the price that farmers who fail to meet the EU regulation on deforestation will pay would be rejection of their products.
Participants were drawn from six states of Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Cross River, Delta, Enugu and Kogi.
