AFOS-NIG INGO, a German non-governmental organisation providing technical supports to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and agribusiness owners in Nigeria, has charged farmers, agribusiness owners and microfinance banks in the country to adopt global best practices as a strategic step towards overcoming their current challenges, improving their earnings, and contributing more to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
The NGO’s advice was informed by the experiences of the leaders when they led 17-member Nigeria agribusiness stakeholders on a 9-day visit to meet with institutions and chambers of commerce responsible for the German Vocational Education and Training (VET) and entrepreneurial financing.
Speaking on the meetings with agribusinesses, and top German institutions and Chambers of
Commerce in the field experiences of the Nigerian team during the visit, the AFOS Foundation’s
Chief Executive Officer and Country Representative, Mr. Oladipupo Akoni, said that the delegation visited the German Investment Cooperation (DEG), some farms, including the Fachschule für Agrarwirtschaft (College of Agricultural Economics) in Cologne, to acquire technical and operational insights into the structures responsible for their success in creating economic stability.
According to him, during the visit to the DEG, the delegation was excited to learn from its Senior
Advisor, about the model that the institution adopts in providing in-depth market knowledge,
impact and climate expertise to private companies operating in developing and emerging countries, focusing on direct loans and equity investment as well as investing in local banks and financiers to stimulate lending to SMEs at local levels.
During the visit to the College of Agricultural Economics, the Managing Director and Head Mistress of the college, Anna Maister, provided a brief insight into the farming system in the district which has over 1.4 million hectares of agricultural land, 30,000 farms with about 190,000 employees, amongst other arable land assets.
Akoni also spoke about the interactions between the Nigeria’s delegation with the students at the college, who are at various stages of their 2 to 3-year TVET certification programme just as they demonstrated their skills in preparation to take over farming businesses from either their families or existing employers.
He also recounted the experiences of the Nigeria agribusiness stakeholders at the Haus Bollheim in Zülpich village, an organic farming community where the farmers specialize in various agricultural value chains including poultry, crop production, animal husbandry, as well as food processing such as dairy products and bakery.
In addition to farming, he noted that the farmers engaged in public relations and marketing as a
sustainability strategy by sensitizing their customers on the concepts and benefits of organic farming to secure their buy-in, financial investment and commitment to business growth and continuity.
On the key lessons for Nigerian farmers, Akoni said: “In Nigeria, the microfinance and agricultural sectors face significant capacity development challenges that undermine the sector’s potential impact. At AFOS Foundation, we recognize that these sectors must undergo transformation to improve overall efficiency and effectiveness.
“With the lessons of the delegation during this exposure trip, we are urging all relevant stakeholders
in the Nigerian agricultural sector to take positive actions that will guide the policy makers in the
sector in the right direction with a view to improving its benefits for farmers, MFBs, agribusiness
owners and the overall economy”, he advised.
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