USAID Launches New Agric Partnerships Scheme

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), yesterday, launched two new agribusiness partnerships with Chi Farms and Niji Foods.
Speaking at the ceremony in Lagos, Mission Director, USAID Nigeria, Michael T. Harvey, said, “with Nigeria’s increasing population, these programs are vital to achieving food security and lowering dependency on exports.”
According to Harvey, “Public-private partnerships are a proven way of expanding investment in agriculture, improving both efficiency and productivity.”
A statement by the US Mission in Nigeria, and made available to The Tide, yesterday, indicated that the event highlighted USAID’s agricultural and private sector strategy using partnerships with government, local organizations and private industry to develop the Nigerian agriculture sector.
It noted that representatives from the Nigerian Government attended the event to highlight their commitment to this partnership that is helping to advance agriculture and trade in Nigeria.
“Through these partnerships, USAID aims to address development and business challenges to agricultural inputs and mechanization by providing quality technical advisory services and expanded market opportunities for smallholder farmers,” the statement stated.
“These partnerships will also capitalize on the untapped potential of smallholder farmers and small processors to help grow agribusinesses, create secure jobs, and boost economic growth in Nigeria,” it added.
It would be recalled that while recognizing the need to increase Nigeria’s domestic fish production to meet growing demand and end reliance on imported fish, Chi Farms – under this partnership – will train 1,000 smallholder fish farmers in Lagos and Ogun states on new farming techniques, access to credit, and marketing skills to help raise incomes.
Farmers will have access to quality juvenile catfish from Chi Farms’ multiple hatcheries, as well as aquaculture management training and financial tools to provide the knowledge necessary to build successful aquaculture businesses.
However, due to the lack of commercially-viable cassava peel for livestock feed, Niji Foods, with the International Livestock Research Institute, with USAID support, has concluded plans to establish three cassava peel processing centres to address the market gap.
The firm is expected to recruit and train staff on critical operations and business management, not only creating the processing centres but also providing long-term local employment. In addition, they will ultimately hand over partial ownership of the centres to, at least, three women’s groups.
These initiatives are part of the United States Government Feed the Future programme, which was launched globally in 2012.
Since 2014, Feed the Future has invested $75million in Nigeria, helping 800,000 Nigeria farmers acquire improved seeds, fertilizers, tools and access to markets.

Susan Serekara-Nwikhana