By Cecilia Ijuo
Abuja – Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Sabo Nanono has assured of continued partnership of the ministry and Beyond Oil Initiative Nigeria (BOIN), an agriculture-based NGO, towards boosting Agribusiness.
The minister said this in a statement by his Director of Information, Mr Theodore Ogaziechi, in Abuja on Sunday.
The statement noted that Nanono made this known when a team from the initiative, led by the National Programmes Coordinator, Adanma Ogumka-Ekeji, paid a visit to his office in Abuja.
He said that agribusiness development and job creation were at the core of the ministry’s plans to reposition the sector.
He noted that continued partnership would help to further achieve the goals of the current administration’s Next Level agenda in the agriculture sector by creating desired value chain while facilitating products standardisation.
He further noted that the partnership would ensure promotion of global market access of Nigerian branded products with massive job creation and increased Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).
The minister said that strong public and private sector partnership was necessary to promote global best packaging methods and branding of products towards ensuring global market penetration.
He also said “the programme would facilitate uniform grading and competitive pricing of Nigerian Agric products and boost mechanisation and technology-driven commercial production of selected viable exportable agricultural products.”
Earlier, the National Coordinator, BOIN, Adanma Ogumka-Ekeji said “the programme is working in partnership with Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu Ikwo Alike (AE-FUNIA), Ebonyi State Government and other international organisations to achieve its set goals.
“We have foremost market access specialists and experts working with leading global institutions and the government.
“This is to develop and take back domestic and export markets of indigenous commodities which have been taken by other countries, making Nigeria a dumping ground for low quality products,’’ he said.(NAN)