PIND Foundation is partnering with the Market Development Program in the Niger Delta (MADE) and the Nigerian Economic Summit Group to produce a roadmap for the growth of agriculture in the Niger Delta at the Group’s annual summit slated to hold in Abuja on October 10-12, 2017,
Themed “Low Carbon Investment Opportunities for Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) in Niger Delta Communities,” this session will hold on October 11, 2017, and will take advantage of the national conversation on economic diversification (spurred by the Nigerian government’s Economic Growth and Recovery Plan) to drive attention to agricultural sectors in the Niger Delta with high-growth potential.
“We have been working to improve income and employment in the Niger Delta for the past seven years, so we have firsthand knowledge of how robust the potential for economic development in the Niger Delta is beyond the oil sector,” says Executive Director of PIND Foundation, Dr. Dara Akala. “To truly take advantage of these opportunities, the public sector must invest capital in storage, irrigation schemes and power generation essential to support agricultural development, without which private sector investments will not be viable. Both sectors will play important roles in the development of the region. NESG does a wonderful job of bringing both groups together, and we are excited to use their platform to make this conversation on Niger Delta economic development a national one.”
Facilitated by NESG’s Consultant with the Sustainability Policy Commission, Dr. Uzo Egbuche, this NESG-led Summit break-out session will highlight approaches to apply Low Carbon Growth and Market Systems principles to revive agricultural productivity as a leading GDP driver to expand the economy, especially for the benefit of youths. The session will be held in collaboration with MADE, the Nigerian Gas Association, the Nigerian Liquefied Petroleum Gas Association (NLPGA), and the Oil Producers Trade Sector (OPTS) of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI).
In its work to build partnerships for peace and equitable economic development in the Niger Delta, PIND strengthens agronomic practices and value chain links for farmers, and improves small business’ access to finance and technical support. This NESG partnership then builds on its economic development work by helping to define ways forward in ancillary sectors such as power, housing, transportation, storage and cold chains and processing to further strengthen economic development gains.
Three sub themes for the discussion are:
- Driving productive power to improve efficiency and lower production costs, and scale growth
- Leveraging shift in consumption patterns of staples to scale import substitution
- Improving technology, inputs and access to finance to curb post-harvest losses and create new opportunities
The session will also serve as an opportunity to explore the subject of skills development for the region’s young people and development planning in Niger Delta states, both of which will also focus areas in PIND’s upcoming Niger Delta Development Forum (NDDF), scheduled to take place in Uyo, Akwa Ibom, on November 14-15, this year.
