PIND 2021 Q2 Progress Report

April – June 2021

This report highlights the achievements of PIND’s program interventions in the Niger Delta from April – June 2021 (Quarter 2 of 2021). It also provides relevant information about program management, lessons learned, and plans for the next quarter. The report demonstrates how PIND is driving change, to ensure broad-based economic growth in the Niger Delta.

PIND’s activities are designed to promote and sustain a culture of learning and adaptation, to build a process where evidence plays a significant role in determining policy direction and interventions in economic development, peace building, advocacy, and capacity building of both government institutions and civil society in the Niger Delta.
PIND made significant progress in its initiatives this quarter; the following are highlights of its achievements in Q2, 2021:

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PIND’s market development projects continue to demonstrate progress towards widespread change. During the quarter, 20,984 farmers and agricultural entrepreneurs (38% of them being women), were reached with information and knowledge on best practices and efficient technologies in the crop and non-crops sectors.PIND incentivized private investors and participating farmers to invest N2.4 billion to implement good agricultural practices, technological innovations, purchase inputs and other capital expenditures. Majority of the investments this quarter (N2.2 billion) were debt financing from banks and government institutional funding assistance schemes, accessed by farmers and small-scale businesses, while 7% (N176 million) were equity investments in PIND’s interventions by the farmers. Also, through the access to energy project, PIND influenced investments in energy solutions by the private sector, worth N17.8 million. In addition, the capacity building project supported women and CSOs to access a total of N10.15 million naira in grants (N10million to train 150 women and youths to produce and sell African patterned fabric) and service fees (N150,000 to support a local organization to develop its advocacy strategy).In the GMoU communities, PIND worked with two financial institutions (Sterling Bank and Union Bank) and three agro-input dealers to provide loans and input credit worth N54.7million, to 107 farmers in Delta and Ondo States. Also, in Q2,2021, 15 of the 78 processors who were profiled and screened for access to finance from Sterling bank in Q1, 2021, were approved for funding by the financial institution and are currently awaiting disbursement. PIND will continue to monitor the progress and disbursements of funds to these processors.PIND also played a significant role in driving the market for low–carbon, low–cost solutions that offer high-quality energy access to coastal communities. Community–centered initiatives which PIND has championed, including the environmentally-friendly solar energy mini grids and solar–powered freezers, have addressed the challenges of energy access directly via an improved off–grid energy access to the poorest populations and businesses that operate in under-served or off-grid communities in the Niger Delta. Within the reporting period, PIND facilitated the signing of a power purchase agreement between Infranergy and Opia Community in Warri North LGA of Delta State, leveraging N17.8 million through private sector investment into the construction of a mini grid in the community. InfraNergy is an energy development company that seeks to maximize social impact in energy underserved communities in the coastal areas. They have partnered with PIND to explore the development of a mini grid and allied smaller energy provision services in the coastal areas. This partnership will see the deployment of a solar powered mini grid that will give a total of 100 households and businesses access to power by the end of the year.PIND continues to work with State governments, the private sector, and local partners to improve the quality of capacity building and vocational training and to expand access to financial services for entrepreneurs. Following the conclusion of the Niger Delta Youth Employment Program (NDYEP), the design of the follow-on youth skills development program, Delta Youth Employment Program (DYEP), was finalized in Q2, 2021, with interventions modelled after the NDYEP.Shifting its strategy from growing the membership of the P4P Network to intensely activating its thousands of members/peace actors and deepening their work in peacebuilding by tackling conflict situations in their communities, PIND assisted 105 peace actors to constructively resolve emerging conflicts in various communities in the Niger Delta. This led to 36 quality actions1 being taken to mitigate conflict in different locations across the region. Learn more By amplifying PIND’s communications efforts during the first quarter of the year, 5,392,218 people gained new or increased awareness about PIND, through its platforms: newsletters, social media, website, email inquiries, forums and traditional mainstream media. Also, PIND garnered 44 positive media mentions of its work and activities in the second quarter of 2021 and attracted 10 public endorsements from stakeholders who interacted with its content on the website, newsletters, and social media posts during the same period. Learn more In addition, to ensure the sustainability of the economic development and peacebuilding interventions in the region, PIND finalized the Edo State Long-Term Development plan, which will be formally launched in Q3,2021. Also, PIND disseminated and promoted an assessment of the effects and causes of inadequate access to arable land for smallholder farmers in Delta, Edo, and Ondo States, via the PIND and NDLink websites. An intervention concept note is being developed for an approach that will provide the best potential for achieving the desired results of increasing access to land for agriculture. Learn more

PEACEBUILDING | IN THE NIGER DELTA

The strategic thrust of the peace building program is to achieve regional and lasting peace in the Niger Delta. To achieve this, PIND is creating sustainable peace partnerships, encouraging collaboration and cooperation amongst peace actors, providing support for economic development, and strengthening indigenous structures for peace, while also creating and building interfaces with larger state-level or regional peace efforts; thereby creating an enabling environment for sustainable broad-based economic development.

The peace building program consists of two interrelated and interdependent projects: The Integrated Peace and Development Unit (IPDU) and Partners for Peace (P4P) Network. The IPDU focuses on undertaking research and providing training to local and international stakeholders to implement innovative pilot projects that show promise of making a difference on the ground. Responding quickly in a targeted manner to rapidly changing dynamics, IPDU promotes collaboration and synergy amongst existing local, regional, and national efforts of actors in both public and private sectors to develop/deploy early warning and response mechanisms to address conflict, with a focus on gender and youth.

The P4P Network is PIND’s strategy towards establishing social infrastructure and capital across all nine States of the Niger Delta. In the last five years, PIND has established a network of self-identified agents of peace that have deployed the power of grassroots networking towards building peace in the region. Using conflict analyses and early warning as key instruments, P4P identifies, and supports existing initiatives, and creates new ones to address the conflict risk factors. The P4P Network currently has chapters and subchapters in all the 9 States and 119 LGAs of the Niger Delta.

In the current strategic phase, the Peace Network will focus on establishing and strengthening grassroots conflict resolution initiatives that promote a more enabling, integrated, and peaceable environment conducive for economic growth and development in the region.In Q2 2021, 34 peace actors whose capacities had been strengthened through PIND/P4P facilitated training12 sessions and workshops (Figure 8), applied the skills they had acquired to promote peace and tackle conflict in their communities. These actors applied their skills in several ways, including providing further training to others, engaging in conflict mitigation efforts in their and engaging in peacebuilding awareness campaigns against electoral violence.

Also, 105 peace actors constructively resolved emerging conflicts in various communities in the Niger Delta, utilizing 36 ‘quality actions’13 to resolve these conflicts within the reporting period. The following are some examples of the ways the peace actors applied their skills to promote peace and tackle conflict:

• Uzezi Agbor, in Delta State assisted communities in Bende Local Government Area to set up early warning and reporting systems to facilitate the reporting of conflict and security issues in their communities to security agencies and other civil societies for needed interventions.
• John Ileri in Ondo State intervened in a community conflict in Ilaje and an issue related to the change of leadership within a youth association was resolved.
• In Bayelsa, Faith Omukoro resolved a long-standing market union conflict that had taken ethnic dimension and potential involvement of cult groups.

An oil spill was reported in late March, 2021 in the vicinity of the operations of Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL); in its Abiteye, Makaraba and Utonana fields axis, in Warri Southwest Local Government Area of Delta State. Consistent with regulatory requirements, a Joint Investigation Visit (JIV,) made up of representatives of the communities, CNL and the regulators; was required to investigate and determine the source, cause and impact of the oil spill on the environment and/or people close to the communities.

However, there was tension between the Itsekiris and Ijaws, regarding the composition of the team and the communities to visit, as one ethnic group did not want members of the other ethnic group to be part of the committee/ community visited.

Messages from both groups both in print and social media, threatened the fragile peace between the two ethnic groups who have a long history and are still experiencing lingering effects of violent conflicts from the early 2000s; where lives were lost, and property destroyed. The Warri MSP stepped in to mediate in the conflict.

To douse tension, prevent escalation of conflict and promote peaceful coexistence, The Warri MSP initiated multiple interventions to curb the impending intercommunal crisis and promote peaceful coexistence between the concerned Ijaw and Itsekiri communities. Three key objectives were set: mitigate and prevent the escalation of the conflict; proactively identify and eliminate the triggers of such conflicts in a manner that prevents future reoccurrence; and ensure that sustainable peace returns within the shortest possible time.

A tripartite approach was adopted by the Warri MSP: mapping and physical engagement of relevant stakeholders, phone calls and physical meetings; as well as the issuance of press releases and radio awareness talk shows on the need for peaceful coexistence and the protection of oil installations against vandalism. Over four meetings took place in Warri between April and June 2021.

On April 26, 2021, the MSP issued a press release enjoining host communities to be calm and give peace a chance; to enable relevant authorities particularly the Delta State government and CNL, to take steps to address the issue.

The radio awareness talk shows featured Influential people from both ethnic on awareness/sensitization campaigns which generated interest of both ethnic groups. They spanned five (5) episodes:

1. The role of communities in protecting and preserving the environment from Vandals on June 28 , 2021;
2. The role of security agencies to protect the environment on June 30 ,2021;
3. The role of IOCs on environmental protection and early response to issues that affect the companies and host communities on July 6,2021;
4. The role of environmental regulatory agencies such as National oil spill detection and response agency (NOSDRA), Ministry of environment to protect the environment on July 13,2021; and
5. Public contributions to peaceful coexistence and the sustainability of the environment on July 20, 2021 all aired on aired on Crown FM 89;9 Warri.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

• 20,984 new farmers and enterprises were reached directly with information and knowledge on best practices and efficient technologies by the end of the quarter. The result represents a 123% performance against the quarters’ target of 17,119. It also brings the total outreach for the year to 29,919 representing 49.2% of the 60,800-target set for the year.

• N2.4 billion was recorded as investment leveraged by the project within the quarter. Out of the N2.4billion leveraged, N2.2billion was debt financing attracted by the enterprises supported during the quarter, while about N176m was invested in the purchase of technologies in the palm oil sector.

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS: AQUACULTURE

PIND’s interventions in the aquaculture sector focus on improving the efficiency and productivity of fish farmers and processors, through improved knowledge of best fish farming practices, access to improved processing technology, as well as access to quality input, market, and finance for farmers. The sector’s activities are driven by aquaculture service providers working with input companies, fabricators, and other market actors. In 2021, the aquaculture interventions plan to reach an additional 5,000 fish farmers and processors through the promotion of improved technology in the coastal communities, adoption of improved practices amongst fish farmers in the region and facilitating access to quality fish seeds and finance for farmers and processors in the coastal communities of the Niger Delta.

In 2021, the high rate of inflation in Nigeria and the naira devaluation continued to impact the aquaculture sector. This was evidenced in the continuous rise in the cost of fish feed which constitutes over 70% of the cost of production. The cost of fish feed increased by 34% over the last eight months with a concurrent increase in the price of fish by 29%. This further increased farmers’ production costs, necessitating access to finance/input credit for farmers and more efficient farm practices.

In the quarter under review, PIND deepened its work with the network of aquaculture service providers to further create awareness on the use of quality inputs and to build the capacity of fish farmers/processors, particularly in the GMOU communities to access funds for equipment and input purchase. PIND also continued to provide support to selected hatchery operators to produce and promote quality fish seeds for farmers, in addition to overseeing and tracking the expansion of the training on good pond management and business practices to more farmers and processors, through service providers and input companies in the region.

Increasing Outreach to more farmers on pond management practices

This quarter, PIND continued to support service providers to provide pond management practices and business skill training to build the capacity of fish farmers and processors to access finance, and to also improve their productivity and efficiency. As a result, a total of 763 (276 Females and 487 Males) fish farmers were reached by 15 service providers over the course of the quarter. 

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• Marich Agro-Allied, a service provider based in Delta State with support from PIND, facilitated two (2) capacity-building training programs to 47 fish farmers (16 females and 31 males) on best pond management practices as well as business skill training using the NAEC curriculum to build their capacity to access finance. He also collaborated with Durandel Ltd during a training in May to promote the use of improved probiotics for better performance of fish seeds.

• Three (3) training programs were organized by Arkshore Consult, a master service provider alongside three other service providers based in Ondo State to reach 201 fish farmers (31 females and 170 males) with a focus on improved management practices and financial training.

• In Bayelsa State, Kingdom Obuza Ventures, an aquaculture service provider facilitated three (3) training sessions on best practices, reaching a total number of 83 fish farmers (36 males and 47 females).
• In Cross River State, Bangadonase trained 21 participants (11 males and 10 females) on fish farming practices and also exposed them to improved processing technology.
• In Rivers State, Aqua Green Initiative (AGI), a Master Service Provider alongside two other service providers facilitated five training sessions on fish farming best practices, reaching a total of 256 farmers (144 males, 112 females).
• PIND supported Durandel, a service provider to reach 56 farmers (38 males and 18 females) in Edo State on the use of probiotics to improve feed conversion ratio and the health of the fish as well as a cost reduction measure in their farming operations. This was done in collaboration with the Edo Fish Farmers Association (EDOFAC).
• Diyen Agro Services also facilitated training for fish farmers in Delta state with a total outreach of 65 farmers in attendance having 42 males and 23 females.
• Atim Okoko, a service provider, facilitated a live demonstration at the Ministry of Agriculture, Akwa Ibom State on the process of building a chorkor oven. 20 participants were recorded during that activity comprising 13 females and 7 males.
• Sharon Ohaka, facilitated training on best practices in Imo state, reaching a total of 14 fish farmers (8 males and 6 females).

Access to finance is pivotal for the uptake of improved practices and technology by farmers. This quarter, PIND continued to deepen its efforts and build on previous engagements with financial institutions to facilitate linkages to finance for fish farmers. Furthermore, in collaboration with two service providers, PIND worked with two financial institutions (Sterling Bank and Union Bank) and three agro-input dealers to provide funding and input credit to 107 farmers worth N54.7million. The transaction details are provided below:

1. In Delta State, Sombreiro Kapital collaborated with an agro-dealer to facilitate input credit to 28 fish farmers worth N9.4 million. Also in Delta, 42 farmers accessed N25.2 million worth of loan from the Sterling Bank/Sombreiro Kapital loan product for agric enterprises.
2. In Ondo State, Arkshore Consult, a service provider collaborated with Union Bank and two input companies to finance input credit to 37 benefiting farmers worth N20 million.

Thus, overall, for the quarter, a total of 107 farmers accessed input facilities and loans worth N54,707,086 across Delta and Ondo states. This figure added to the N10.2 million Recorded in the previous quarter brings the total loans recorded for the year to N64,907,086.

Furthermore, as part of the strategy to deepen its activities in the riverine communities through financial inclusion, PIND in collaboration with Sombreiro Kapital expanded its access to finance activities to the GMOU communities in Delta and Ondo States. In the previous quarter, 78 processors were profiled and screened for access to finance. The processors were supported with the necessary documentation and linked to Sterling bank to enable them to access funding for the purchase of chokor ovens and working capital to increase their productivity. This quarter, 15 of the 78 processors were approved for funding by the financial institution and are currently awaiting disbursement. PIND would continue to monitor the progress and disbursements of funds to these processors.The chorkor oven and smoking kiln technologies were introduced by PIND as part of the effort to improve the efficiency of fish processors in the Niger Delta region. To sustainably promote the adoption of the technologies, PIND built the capacity of masons and fabricators to enable them to produce and market them commercially. PIND also worked with the masons and other service providers to carry out demonstrations to stimulate the adoption of the technologies, particularly in the coastal (GMOU) and riverine communities.
This quarter, PIND continued to provide support to the Service Providers, Masons, and fabricators whose capacities have been built to drive the uptake of chorkor ovens and smoking kiln technologies to improve the efficiency of fish processors in the Niger Delta region. Overall, in the GMOU and non-GMOU communities, three promotional activities were carried out by four service providers and a master mason in Delta and Rivers states to reach 587 processors. Another planned demonstration in Imo state was cancelled as a result of the unrest in the state during the period of this report. The details of the demonstrations are provided below:

In the GMOU communities, PPGwarry global resources, a master mason, promoted the chorkor oven through practical demonstration in two communities (Obaghoro and Ogheye) in Delta state to reach 180 fish processors. This resulted in the adoption of 11 ovens by 10 processors from the two communities. Also, in the quarter under review, an oven was adopted by one processor from Madangho. This brings the total ovens adopted in the GMOU to 12, and a cumulative of 26 for the year.

In the non-GMOU communities, a demonstration activity was held at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture in River state for 20 beneficiaries of the presidential amnesty program. These beneficiaries, mainly fisher folks and processors, were drawn from various communities in the creeks of the state who expressed interest in the value addition training which was facilitated by Aqua Green Integrated Ltd and Captain Paul of PPGwary Global Resources.

Also, a demonstration activity was organized in Agbor, Delta State to reach 28 processors with knowledge on the improved smoking technologies. As a result of these activities and those carried out in the previous quarter, a total of 29 processing technology (15 smoking kiln and 14 chorkor ovens) were adopted by fish processors in non-GMOU communities in Delta (13), Rivers (5), Imo (7), and Ondo (4) states.

This brings the total processing technology adopted for the quarter to 41, bringing the cumulative number of processing technology adopted so far to 55, for the year as against the 150-target set for 2021. The low rate of adoption is because of the high and increasing cost of technology adoption brought about by rising inflation, leading to the devaluation of the local currency.
Leveraged funds from the adoption of the 55 smoking technologies (15 smoking kilns and 40 chorkor ovens) in this quarter amounts to N6.23 million.

Expanding interventions to reach more community members in the GMOU communities

This quarter, following the completion of a livelihood assessment to identify opportunities for improving the economic wellbeing of individuals in the GMOU communities in the previous quarter, the Aquaculture team carried out a further opportunity scoping study across four GMoU communities: Tsekelewu, Opuama, Awoye, and Ogidigben, to streamline viable interventions that portend opportunities for broader reach.

At the end of the scoping study, PIND found an opportunity to support fisherfolks to improve their efficiency through the adoption of improved fishing practices and technologies. PIND also found the potential to increase the productivity of pond fish farmers identified in Tsekelewu by improving their fish farming practices and systems. Subsequently, intervention justification notes have been developed for both proposed interventions for consideration by PIND management. In the coming quarters, PIND would commence engagement of partners and implementation of the designed interventions in the target communities.

Improving Access to Quality Fish Seeds for Niger Delta Fish farmers

The use of quality fish seeds/fingerlings is one of the major contributors to good yield and improved productivity of farmers in the aquaculture sector. In 2019, PIND Collaborated with FISON, to develop quality broodstock banks for catfish with selected hatcheries in the region. PIND also identified and partnered with six private hatchery operators from Delta, Ondo, and Rivers States to raise broodstock banks from the pure lines produced by FISON. In 2020, the hatchery operators commenced the production of fish seeds from the broodstock, and over 515,000 fish seeds were produced by them.

This quarter, PIND continued to work with the selected hatchery operators to promote quality fish seeds to farmers in the region. This quarter, 450,000 fish seeds were produced from the brood stock by four of the hatchery operators , against the 250,000 targeted for the quarter; resulting in sales of N11.2million at an average sale of N25 per fish seed. These fish seeds were sold to 76 farmers. One of the hatcheries in Ondo state is developing another set of brood stock for fish seed production from the initial stock developed by FISON.

The use of technology to increase interactions with clients:

This was done via phone conversations, WhatsApp, Zoom, etc. to provide market information, technical advice, and information on practices to adopt. Half of the service providers (including the input companies) were able to deploy virtual training using online platforms such as WhatsApp and Zoom. WhatsApp was widely used by the service providers.

Leveraging Partnership:

Another mode of adaptation was leveraging on already established local structures to reach farmers. The feed companies leveraged their distribution channels to improve outreach to farmers. They brokered relationships with distributors/agro-dealers to ensure that farmers could pick up the feed at a particular time since most of them were afraid of opening their shops. Some feed companies issued credit notes to some clients. Three of the six service providers leveraged partnerships with other service providers to reach out to farmers with capacity building, technical support, and linkages to inputs and market in locations they could not access.

Introduction of new products and services:

One of the input companies introduced a new brand of fish feed into the market. The feed was developed to meet the needs of the farmers at the time as farmers needed feed that was relatively cheap and also of good quality especially at the finishing stage of production. This enabled the feed company to increase its market share. Other input companies, in collaboration with the distributors and agro-dealers, issued credit notes to some clients to help sustain their production.

Logistics Services:

one service provider, in response to the challenges, introduced a logistics service to facilitate access to inputs for farmers and processors both within and outside the aquaculture sector. He was able to secure the exemption for essential services provided by the government which he used in aggregating demand and moving essential agro produce and inputs such as fish feed to farmers.

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS: CASSAVA

The Cassava value chain interventions are designed to improve the productivity and incomes of actors in the cassava sector. This is achieved by incentivizing partners to invest in activities that will improve access to information and quality inputs as well as markets for cassava farmers. Since 2015, PIND has partnered with key market actors like input companies and agro-dealers to embed demonstrations and training into their marketing and sales models. These partners have continued to report increased sales because of this collaboration.

In this new strategic phase, which commenced last year, PIND continued to leverage the network of input companies, agro-dealers, Farm Service Providers (FSP)s and the Cassava Seed Entrepreneurs (CSEs) it has strengthened, to drive and expand activities in the sector to reach more farmers with information and quality agro-input.

This year, PIND’s target is to reach an additional 19,800 farmers. This will be achieved through the expansion of its work across the region, by partnering with service providers to establish demonstration plots aimed at promoting the adoption of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) in more communities in the Niger Delta. PIND will also increasingly leverage platforms to train and increase farmers’ access to agro-inputs including stems, fertilizers, and other crop protective products, CPPs. Also, PIND will support investors to establish Cassava out-grower and aggregation programs in target locations.

In Q2, 2021 with the commencement of the 2021 cassava planting season, PIND continued its activities with partners to provide support to farmers. Specifically, PIND scaled up its collaboration with BASICS II to establish a viable commercial cassava seed system in the region by training and onboarding 69 new Cassava Seed Entrepreneurs (CSEs). Also, previously trained CSEs continued to provide support to the sector through the sale of improved stem varieties. PIND further expanded its support to investors currently exploring opportunities for implementing out-grower and cassava aggregation programs with the signing of an MOU with Shine Bridge Global towards the implementation of the African Job for Food Program (AFJB) in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture.

A major socio-economic environment consideration this quarter is the rising inflation. The key effect of which is seen in the increase in the cost of inputs and services that farmers require for their productions. The current input price inflation has created a cash flow problem for farmers in the region. PIND will continue to refine and support partners with strategies to cope with current market realities including access to finance leveraging Sombreiro Kapital.

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Activities in the cassava sector during the major planting season are focused on ensuring that farmers continue to enjoy access to quality agriculture-inputs and information. This is usually provided alongside training and demonstrations organized by agriculture-input companies and other service providers including agriculture dealers and farm services providers (FSPs) in the Cassava sector.

In the period under review, which marked the commencement of the cassava planting season, PIND continued to support its partners to strengthen their relationships and linkages with farmers that will ensure access to quality inputs including stems, fertilizer, and Crop Protective products (CPP)s required for their production. It also developed and shared a call for proposals from interested agriculture-input companies and service providers interested in partnering with PIND to expand its activities to new areas in the region under the Small-scale Service Providers Grant SSPG. The selection process for activities that will commence in Q3 2021, is ongoing.

PIND continued to provide support to agriculture-input companies, Agriculture dealers, and FSPs to carry out training and demonstration across several locations in the region. Six (6) agriculture-input companies including Saro, CHC organic, Indorama, Wacot, and Golden fertilizer, either by themselves or in collaboration with 63 agriculture-dealers/Farm Services providers actively provided support to farmers this quarter. These activities reached a total of 5,391 (2795 female) farmers across the region.

Additionally, through the Access to improved Cassava stems activities, Cassava Seed Entrepreneurs (CSES)who were trained in partnership with BASICS II in 2020 carried out step-down training using their multiplication plots across Abia state reaching 2,203 cassava farmers (1,381 females). This together with the 5,391 reported above, brings the total outreach for the quarter to 7,594 (4,176 females) farmers, surpassing this quarter’s direct outreach target of 4,000 farmers and brings the total outreach for the year to 9,892. PIND deferred plans for outcome monitoring earlier planned for Q2 to Q3. The results from the outcome monitoring exercise will be used to estimate results for higher-level indicators including indirect outreach, changes in income, investment leverage and jobs, etc.

• To support increased access to improved high yielding and disease resistant Cassava stem varieties, in the Niger Delta, PIND is partnering with the BASICS II project, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) as well as the National Root Crop Research Institute (NRCRI). PIND is doing this through the Cassava Seed Entrepreneurship (CSE) program – the Village Seed Entrepreneurship (VSE) program. The program aims to establish a commercial seed system in the region.

• Last year, 75 new CSEs drawn from Delta, Abia, Imo, Akwa Ibom, and Cross Rivers states were trained and onboarded into the National Network of Seed entrepreneurs. These CSEs went on to establish stem multiplication plots in their communities using foundation stems of improved and high-yielding varieties, received from the NRCRIs foundation stem distribution outfit, Umudike Seeds.  In the previous quarter, PIND and BASICS II continued their collaboration with a plan to onboard additional CSEs and also strengthen collaboration with the National Seed Council (NASC) to ensure certification and effective monitoring and support to the trained CSEs.
• This quarter, PIND and BASICS II trained and onboarded 69 CSEs in Abia State. The CSEs were drawn from Edo, Delta, Abia, Imo, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Rivers, and Cross Rivers State. These CSEs are expected to utilize the current planting season to set up multiplication plots and organize step-down training for farmers within their communities. In the future, they will also be expected to ratoon and sell improved stems varieties acquired from the National Root crop Research institutes (NRCRI) and previously trained CSEs.

PIND has been engaging with potential partners, including leading cassava processors and investors in the industrial cassava sector to attract investments into the sector, to help address issues around access to land, finance, and markets for actors in the Cassava sector in the Niger Delta region. Through this, PIND seeks to support effective linkages between these market actors who are potential bulk buyers of Cassava, and small-scale Cassava farmers, through the establishment of Cassava out-grower/aggregation schemes.

Last year, PIND began engagements with SAEL Global, a Cassava farming and production firm in a bid to establish a Cassava out-grower program in Edo State. Through this partnership, PIND expects to leverage the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) 5-star cassava Anchor project to provide funding for the participating farmers, while SAEL Global will make the initial investment in land development for the program, and provide a guaranteed offtake of the cassava roots at harvest. Last quarter, SAEL Global secured a lease agreement for 2,000 ha of farmland in Orhionwhon LGA for the scheme and PIND worked with the Edo State Cooperative Farmers Agency (ESCFA) to compile a list of 400 farmers in Orhionwhon LGA to participate in the program. PIND also facilitated a process to secure the consent of the Edo State government for these farmers to participate in the out-grower program under the CBN five-star cassava Anchor project as requested by the CBN. PIND is awaiting the release of the consent of the state government for the commencement of the scheme.

This quarter, PIND continued to engage the Edo State government to facilitate the release of the

letter of consent having provided all the requested documents to include an MOU between PIND and SAEL Global, lease agreement, and GPS coordinates of the land as well as participating farmers list.

Also, this quarter, PIND signed an MOU with Shine Bridge Global West Africa Limited to collaboratively participate in the African Job for Food Program (AFJB), in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture. Through this program, PIND is expected to reach at least 6,000 cassava farmers cultivating 3,500 ha of farmland across the region. PIND developed a work plan and budget for the implementation of the program and is currently engaging with Shine Bridge Global to agree on the details and commencement date for the scheme.

Support to farmers on Access to finance/credit

PIND also collaborated with Sombreiro Kapital and Sterling Bank Ltd to identify 100 cassava farmers across Delta and Imo States to be supported with access to finance to cultivate 1 ha of Cassava farm each. PIND also engaged and secured the buy-in of two major cassava processors Dufil Prima Foods and VON Foods to offtake the estimated 200 tons of cassava to be produced by these farmers. Account opening processes are currently ongoing by these farmers with Sterling Bank, and the program is expected to commence in early Q3

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS: COCOA

PIND’s Cocoa value chain interventions are designed to improve the productivity and income of cocoa farmers through the adoption of improved farming practices in planting/re-planting, pruning, weed management, pest and disease management, and harvest and post-harvest operations. The main intervention areas are productivity improvement and quality enhancement.

To achieve this, PIND is working with business partners to invest in the promotion of good agricultural practices and technologies by providing quality agricultural information and access to quality agro-inputs and technologies to farmers. In the last two years, PIND has on-boarded and supported input suppliers, equipment dealers/promoters, output buyers (off-takers), and farm service providers to conduct a series of training programs and demonstration/promotional activities, towards stimulating the adoption of good agricultural practices and technology by farmers.

Since 2019, PIND has onboarded and partnered with 44 different support market actors to promote productivity improvement and quality enhancement practices and technologies among cocoa farmers. These partners have reached over 18,000 farmers with agriculture information, quality agro-inputs, and technologies in five cocoa-producing states of Abia, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Edo, and Ondo.

In 2021, PIND plans to reach a further 12,000 farmers through a series of interlinked activities aimed at deepening the solutions it has introduced and expanding it to all the cocoa-producing states in the Niger Delta. To achieve this, PIND plans to work with both new and existing partners to upscale the solutions in the operating year.

For the quarter under review, PIND began operationalizing a working agreement with three new off-takers, Nivik Investment Ltd, A.A. Cooperative, and Abico Nigeria Limited, to scale up the quality enhancement intervention activities in Ondo, Edo, and Cross River states. Also, PIND continued to support and expand its work with existing farm service providers and agriculture-dealers to provide training and farm services to new farmers.

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The promotion of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) was introduced by PIND in 2019 as a strategy to improve farmers’ access to information, quality inputs, and technologies necessary to increase their yield and productivity.  In Q2 2021, eight Farm Service Providers (FSPs), one input company, and three off-takers expanded GAP activities to more farmers in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, and Ondo States reaching 4,162 (933 females) participants across these locations. The details of the activities are provided below:

• In Ondo, Saro Agrosciences collaborated with two FSPs (Anthony Akinmade and Joseph Bamidele) to reach 213 farmers with training programs on GAP. Two other farm service providers (Ibikunle Olumuyiwa and Olufemi Osatuyi) reached 1,052 farmers with training and farm services on GAP. Also, two off-takers, Nivik Investment Ltd, and Abico Nigeria Limited reached a total of 1,831 farmers through the quality enhancement practices/activities.

• In Cross River, Saro Agrosciences in collaboration with one FSP (Ngor Oru Ogar) expanded outreach activities to 177 cocoa farmers. Two other farm service providers (Abit Farms and Solomon Agbor) reached 177 farmers with training and farm services on GAP. Also, AA Cooperative, an off-taker, reached 618 farmers through the quality enhancement practices/activities.
• In Akwa Ibom, a farm service provider, Victor Tom reached 94 farmers with training programs and services Cumulatively, PIND reached an additional 4,162 (933 females) farmers within the quarter, out of a target of 4,000 farmers set for the period. This brings the total outreach for 2021 to 6,142 which is 51% of the targeted outreach of 12,000 for 2021.

Improving the quality of cocoa beans is one of the key objectives of PIND in the cocoa sector. The Nigerian Cocoa industry has a reputation for producing poor-quality cocoa beans. The beans are usually filled with impurities, are salty and have high moisture content, due to farmers’ poor post-harvest practices. This results in discounted pricing and low income for the farmers. In 2020, PIND designed an incentive-based model and partnered with Subjugate Nigeria Limited, an off-taker based in Ondo state to implement the first set of activities. The model builds in an incentive in form of higher prices or premiums to farmers who produce good quality cocoa beans. Last year, using the Training of Trainers approach, 40 lead farmers were trained in good agricultural practices including post-harvest operations. These 40 lead farmers further stepped down the practices to over 1,000 farmers.

In Q2 2021, PIND partnered with two of the three Off-takers that were engaged in Q1 2021, to train 27 new farm service providers (12 FSPs were trained by AA Cooperatives and 15 by Nivik Investment Limited), to promote quality improvement models to the farmers. The training comprised: good agronomic practices, adoption of quality improvement technologies/innovations, as well as promoting those quality-enhancing technologies to the farmers. PIND also facilitated the linkage of three entrepreneurial Farm Service Providers to one of the three off-takers – Abico Nigeria Limited, to provide farm services support to their network farmers on good agricultural practice and quality improvement activities. Through the partnership with these off-takers, 2,449 farmers were reached in Ondo (1,831 farmers) and Cross River state (618 farmers).

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS: PALM OIL

PIND’s interventions in the palm oil sector focus on stimulating best management practices (BMPs) among farmers and improving access to palm oil seedlings. These interventions aim to increase the productivity and income of farmers and small processors in the region. The interventions utilize the market systems development approach and are driven by agro-dealers, fabricators, input companies, and palm seed nursery operators and producers who have the incentives to provide a range of services and products that improve the productivity of farmers and processors. Previous interventions included stimulating the use of harvesting technologies and improved processing equipment.

In 2021, PIND plans to further expand its outreach in the Palm Oil sector to 14, 000 farmers, through the network of both the existing service providers whose capacity were built, and new partners. This will deepen access to improved seeds, and adoption of best management practices by farmers, individually or through oil palm business membership organizations for inclusivity. Emphasis will be on stimulating collaboration and coordination amongst different value chain actors in the sector by facilitating linkage activities to expand the field activities of the market actors.

Specifically, for the access to improved seeds intervention, PIND plans to expand its reach by strengthening the collaboration between seed producers and nursery operators in the region. It also intends to scale up the business finders’ model with new seed producers willing to increase their distribution network across the Niger Delta. Through these activities, oil palm farmers are expected to have increased access to improved and affordable seeds

For the quarter under review, PIND’s intervention activities focused on working with input companies, farm services providers, and agro-dealers to expand the demonstrations on best management practices to farmers, and to enhance linkages between palm seed producers and nursery operators to organize promotional activities on quality seed.

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To sustain and deepen the BMP activities in the sector, PIND continued its engagement with the National Palm Produce Association of Nigeria (NPPAN), an oil palm business membership organization that works across the Niger Delta with a membership base of over 10,000 actors. Their members include farmers, processors, agriculture-dealers, and service providers. In quarter one, PIND partnered with NPPAN to develop an outreach strategy that involves identifying and onboarding 20 entrepreneurial farm service providers within the association to provide services to farmers in Abia, Imo, Akwa Ibom, and Delta States on BMP and Nigerian Agricultural Enterprise Curriculum training.

In the reporting period, PIND collaborated with NPPAN to onboard 35 new FSPs across Delta (15) and Edo (20) States. During the exercises, the FSPs were linked to NIRSAL and Sombreiro Kapital (SK) on access to finance; the Ministry of agriculture on acquiring seeds, and the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) concerning the export of their finished goods. By the end of the quarter, the two groups of FSPs submitted applications for soft loans from SK to expand their businesses and purchase improved technologies to support farmers.

Within the reporting quarter, 18 FSP (17 newly on-boarded) reached a total of 2, 619 (559 females) farmers in Rivers, Delta, Edo, and Abia states. Also, within the quarter, 7 agriculture-dealers and FSPs expanded outreach activities to 532 (199 females) farmers across the Niger Delta. The activities bring the total outreach recorded for the BMP initiatives this quarter to 3, 151 (758 female). Also, 79 farmers purchased improved seedlings and 629 palm oil actors purchased improved harvesting technologies. In addition, 22 farmers purchased improved processing technologies bringing the total outreach for Palm oil to 3,881 against a target of 5,119, for the period and an annual target of 14,000.

Distribution of outreach activities, for Palm Oil, in Q2 2021

PIND continued to present opportunities for investments to a wide spectrum of investors in the palm oil sector, for both the public and private sectors. The investments come from the adoption of improved seeds, and also, the purchase of improved harvesting and processing technology. In the quarter under review, N140, 912, 500 was leveraged through private sector investment in the sector. The breakdown of the amount of leveraged in the sector are presented:

• N103.7million was invested in the purchase of 131, 250 improved seedlings by 79 farmers in Ondo, Delta, Edo, Rivers, and Abia states.

• N5.6million was invested in the purchase of 405 improved harvesting technologies in Akwa Ibom, Edo, Delta, Ondo, and Cross River states by 122 farmers. This is in addition to the 224 improved harvesting technology (Malaysian knives) purchased last quarter.
• 12 farmers invested N31.5million in the purchase of 12 improved processing technologies in Akwa Ibom State. This is in addition to the 10 processing technologies purchased in Q1.

This brings the total investment leveraged for the year to N176, 592, 500 against the yearly target of N1.9 billion Naira. The significant difference in the target set for the year and what has been achieved, is the inclusion of equity investment by farmers adopting BMP. The equity investment will be calculated in Q4 when the outcome monitoring report for BMP is submitted.The access to seeds intervention seeks to increase access to improved and affordable seeds to oil palm farmers in the Niger Delta. One of the key areas that PIND intervened to achieve the intervention objective was strengthening the relationship between seed producers and nursery operators willing to expand their activities in the region to reach smallholder farmers. Another key area was developing the business finders’ model which aims to link business finders to seed producers to market their seeds for a commission after a sale is successful. The model commenced in 2020, and the initial set of results saw 12 business finders supporting 63 farmers to purchase 50,640 improved seeds with N100 commission paid for each seed that was sold.

In the previous quarter, the business finders continued to carry out promotional activities amongst smallholder farmers on the benefit of purchasing improved seeds. These were carried out through on-field farm demonstrations, jingles on radio stations, and cold calls to farmers. At the end of the quarter, seven business finders reported supporting 79 farmers (16 women) to purchase 131, 250, 000 seedlings across Ondo, Delta, Edo, Abia, Rivers, and Akwa Ibom states.

To expand the reach of the model and thus access to improved seed to more farmers, PIND targeted, in the current year, to onboard a new seed producer. Subsequently, Ghanasumatra was engaged and showed interest in increasing its distribution network amongst smallholder farmers in the region. The seed company was then linked to the National Palm Produce Association of Nigeria (NPPAN) on the opportunity to work with its farm service providers to reach farmers on the benefit of planting its improved seeds.

In the current Quarter, a PIND and NPPAN team carried out monitoring visits to farms that have planted the GhanaSumatra seeds since 2018 to verify the claim on the quality of their seeds. Three farms were visited in Ondo, Delta, and Osun states and all the feedback from the farmers was positive. By the end of quarter two, an agreement was developed by GhanaSumatra, NPPAN, and PIND. The GhanaSumatra team travelled into Nigeria to meet with the NPPAN board and firm up the terms in the agreement. Activities are set to commence in quarter 3 after the agreement is signed.

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS: POULTRY

The poultry value chain interventions are designed to improve the productivity and income of poultry farmers in the Niger Delta through the adoption of good poultry practices and linkages to quality inputs (vaccines and feeds). Other intervention activities focus on improving access to market and finance to aid the growth and expansion plans of farmers. The sector’s activities are driven by Poultry Service Providers (PSPs) and Village Level Dealers (VLDs) working with input companies, chicken processors, and other market actors, who see the incentive to make more money by providing their services and products commercially to farmers, to improve their productivity.

PIND’s target for 2021 is to reach 7,000 farmers with information on good poultry practices (GPP), quality inputs (Vaccine and Feed) as well as facilitate access to market and finance in the Niger Delta region. In Q2, 2021, PIND continued to mentor and track the activities of the service providers and village level dealers across the region, specifically in Imo, Rivers, Bayelsa, and Delta, to determine the outcome of their support to farmers. Other strategies hinged on facilitating linkages among actors in the poultry sector, with the aim of exposing farmers to GPP.

Responding to the current rise in the prices of input for poultry farmers, PIND scaled up its access to finance initiative through Sombreiro Kapital, to enable more farmers access funding. It also scaled up the good poultry practices intervention to ensure more farmers are aware of the cost reduction benefits of adopting improved practice.

Expanding the outreach of farmers to good poultry practices and access to quality vaccines.

PIND continues to strengthen service delivery mechanisms to provide access to information on good poultry practices, quality inputs such as day-old chicks (DoCs), improved feed, and vaccines to enable poultry farmers in the Niger Delta improve their productivity and income.

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In Q2 2021, PIND supported 16 Poultry Service Providers and three (3) Village Level Dealers (VLDs) with identification of new farm clusters and linkages to quality inputs, markets and finance. PIND also partnered with three (3) input companies and five (5) institutional buyers to reach poultry farmers in Imo, Ondo, Delta, Rivers, Edo, and Cross River States with knowledge on good poultry practices.   A total of 41 training activities were carried out during the quarter to reach 2,237 (including 910 females) poultry farmers in the above States. The details of the activities are provided below:

• In Delta State, Chuvaak Agro Services (A master poultry service provider), trained and supported 15 poultry farmers (10 females) on good poultry practices and business skills using the NAEC curriculum. He also facilitated linkages to inputs and markets to the farmers. In the same vein, Mr. Musa Obohor (A village-level dealer), reached 96 poultry farmers (22 females) with quality vaccines. Also, Leonarnd Akachukwu (A poultry service provider), trained and supported 250 poultry farmers (102 females) on good poultry practices and business skills using the NAEC curriculum. Also, Akanbi Jamiu, (A poultry service provider), trained 5 poultry farmers (4 females) on good poultry practices and business skills. Mr. Valentine Obi (a poultry service provider) trained three poultry farmers on good poultry practices and business skills, using the NAEC curriculum.

• In Rivers State, Aqua Green Initiatives (A Poultry Service Provider), trained 235 poultry farmers (151 females) on good poultry practices and business skills. Another service provider, CAD digital farms trained 60 poultry farmers (23 females) on good poultry practices and business skills using the NAEC curriculum and facilitated loans for them through the CBN agric Scheme.
• In Ondo State, Green Shield Integrated Technology Limited (A master service provider), trained 220 poultry farmers (54 females) on good poultry practices. In the same vein, The Arkshore Konsult (master service provider) also trained 439 (146 females) farmers on good poultry practices and business skills using the NAEC curriculum.
• In Imo State, Chinedu Uduanusi (A poultry service provider) trained 298 (116 females) farmers on good poultry practices and business skills using the NAEC curriculum. In the same vein, Mr. Amadi Anslem (poultry service provider), trained 67 (12 females) farmers on good poultry practices. Also, Mr. Nwaonu John (poultry service provider) provided online training to 70 (33 females) farmers on good poultry practices while Ngozi Buelah (A poultry service provider), trained 18 (6 females) farmers on good poultry practices and business skills using the NAEC curriculum. Ngozi Okechukwu (A poultry service provider) trained 49 (26 females) farmers on good poultry practices and business skills using the NAEC curriculum. Similarly, Nwankwo Madonna (A poultry service provider) trained 29 (20 females) farmers on good poultry practices and business skills. Mr Ambrose Ogbonna (Poultry Service Provider), trained 75 (23 females) farmers on good poultry practices.
• In Cross Rivers State, Mr. Bassey Jacobs, (A poultry service provider) supported 87 poultry farmers (36 females) with technical and business training, advisory services, linkages to inputs and markets. In the same vein, Dr. Osita Okpo (A village-level dealer) reached 119 poultry farmers (34 females) with quality vaccines.
• In Edo State, Favour Animal Health (a village-level dealer) reached 104 poultry farmers (41 females) with quality vaccines.

As a result of the above activities, the sector recorded a total outreach of 2,237 (910 females) farmers exceeding the 1700 target planned for the quarter. The cumulative outreach in 2021 so far is 3,757 which is about 54% of the total target set for 2021.As farmers see the benefits of adopting the improved poultry practices, they continue to seek additional funding to expand their production and make more profit. This has even become more important as the cost of inputs continues to rise due to rising inflation. As part of PIND’s effort to address the funding challenges of farmers in the poultry sector, the poultry project team leveraged various platforms to improve access to finance for farmers in the region. PIND leveraged the CBN AGSMEIS scheme, an initiative introduced to support and complement the Federal Government’s efforts and policy measures for the promotion of agricultural businesses in Nigeria. Another funding platform the sector leveraged was Sombreiro Kapital (SK), a special purpose vehicle that was set up by PIND to facilitate access to finance for farmers without recourse to collateral in the long term.

In the reporting period, about N13,666,799 was accessed by 41 farmers via SK while the remaining N232,450,602 was accessed by 58 farmers in Rivers state via the CBN AGSMEIS scheme. This brings the total value of loans recorded for the quarter to N246, 117,401 and a cumulative figure of N256, 117, 401 so far for the year.

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS: MSME DEVELOPMENT AND LINKAGES

The PIND MSME Development and Linkages project aims to stimulate a market that creates a dynamic and diversified set of strong local enterprises that can meet the demand created by large buyers operating within the Niger Delta. This, in turn, strengthens the local economic environment capable of driving economic growth and job creation. The project also strengthens platforms that enable micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to access quality business support services, market, and funding opportunities that enable enterprises to grow and be more competitive in both local and global markets.

The project activities are driven by business service providers (BSPs) strengthened by PIND, to enhance the growth of local enterprises. These BSPs work in partnership with private and public stakeholders, to organize business linkages and investment forums, as well as to access new market and funding opportunities necessary for MSME development.

In Q2 2021, PIND focused on supporting the BSPs to facilitate access to finance for MSMEs through the Central Bank of Nigeria Agri-Business/Small and Medium Enterprise Investment Scheme (AGSMEIS). The scheme is an initiative to support the Federal Government’s efforts and policy measures for the promotion of agricultural businesses and small and medium enterprises as vehicles for sustainable economic development and employment generation.

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Reaching more MSMEs through access to business information and finance

Business Service Providers (BSPs) provide a variety of services to MSMEs to improve their competitiveness and growth. This variety of services includes but is not restricted to business management training, business diagnostics and upgrading, business plan development, marketing strategy development, and linkages to finance and market. During the quarter, seven BSPs trained and supported a total of 1,760 (including 623 women-owned) MSMEs to access loans for their businesses through the CBN AGSMEIs scheme. These capacity-building activities involved classroom training, business plan development, and the preparation of loan applications. The breakdown of the activities is detailed out below:

• In Bayelsa state, Wider Perspectives Limited, with support from PIND, collaborated with the Bayelsa State government, Megastar Stores, Silverbird Television, Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), and Boff & Company to organize a business linkages forum which had 70 MSMEs (50 male, 20 female) in attendance as well as other stakeholders comprising of Government, the Media, and Non-Government Organizations.

• Also in Bayelsa state, Zigha Ayibakoro Limited (ZAL), a business service provider in collaboration with NIRSAL Micro Finance Bank trained 415 enterprises (243 males and 173 women-owned) to access the CBN Agri-Business/Small and Medium Enterprise Investment Scheme funding opportunity. From the 416 MSMEs trained, 105 (67 male, 48 women-owned) enterprises have accessed funds worth 448.6 million Naira.
• In Rivers state, Wider Perspectives Limited collaborated with NIRSAL Micro Finance Bank to train 121 SMEs (76 males and 45 women-owned) with 34 (19 males, 15 women-owned) enterprises accessing 94.8 million Naira worth of loan from the AGSMEIS program.
• Entrepreneurship and Innovative Centre (E&I Centre) in Rivers state collaborated with NIRSAL Micro Finance Bank trained and supported 97 SMEs (51 males and 45 women-owned); with 43 enterprises accessing 137 million Naira worth of loan from the AGSMEIS program. The support from E&I Centre to the SMEs includes business registration, business plan development, and financial management.
• Also, in Rivers state, CAD Consulting Limited, a Master Business Service Provider, in collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria and NIRSAL Micro Finance Bank provided training on accessing the CBN Agri-Business/Small and Medium Enterprise Investment Scheme to 595 SMEs (393 males and 202 women-owned). Subsequently, 267 (160 male and 107 women-owned) of the enterprises trained accessed funds worth 1.006 billion Naira from the scheme.
• In Cross River State, Agric Entrepreneurs Association organized training for 161 SMEs (118 males and 43 women-owned) and supported 73 MSMEs (from the 161 trained) to access funds worth 189.7 million Naira from the CBN Agri-Business/Small and Medium Enterprise Investment Scheme.
• In Akwa Ibom state, Green Steps Limited, a new business service provider onboarded by CAD Consulting Limited, in collaboration with NIRSAL Micro Finance Bank trained 129 SMEs (99 males and 30 women-owned) with 57 of them accessing loans worth 157 million Naira from the CBN Agri-Business/Small and Medium Enterprise Investment Scheme.
• In Abia state, CAD Consulting Limited, a Master Business Service Provider, in collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria and NIRSAL Micro Finance Bank provided training on accessing.
• The CBN AGSMEIS fund to 129 enterprises (97 males and 32 women-owned). From the 129 enterprises trained, 32 (18 male and 14 women-owned) enterprises have accessed funds worth 113 million Naira from the CBN Agri-Business/Small and Medium Enterprise Investment Scheme.
• In Delta state, Lifeedge Consulting, a BSPs onboarded by Dorbudee Integrated Concept provided entrepreneurship training and linkages to finance to 43 (7 male, 36 women-owned) enterprises. From the 43 businesses supported, 36 have accessed finance worth 17.9 million from the financial institution.

Overall, from the activities above, a total of 1,760 (1,137 male, 623 women-owned) enterprises were reached during the period, exceeding the 1,000 targets set for the quarter. This brings the total outreach for the year to 2,270 MSMEs against the 3,000 targets for 2021.

Also, the total value of loans facilitated for the quarter came to a total of N2.2 billion, bringing the total loans facilitated in the sector for the year to N2.9 billion against the target N2.5 billion set for the year. The loans were mainly provided to the enterprises for the purchase of equipment and to meet working capital needs to enable their expansion drive. This injection of the funds is expected to improve the operations of the enterprises and enable them to meet new market opportunities. 

One of the strategic focus areas of the MSME Development and Linkages project in the current operational phase (2020 – 2024) is to upscale the commercialization of the BSP onboarding process leveraging the master business service providers’ platform. Already, new BSPs are being trained and mentored by mature BSPs who see the incentive to expand their services by developing and building strategic alliances with emerging BSPs. This has enabled the entrant of new BSPs who are sustainably delivering services to a broad range of small enterprises in the region.

To formalize and upscale the BSP mentoring process, PIND in the previous year, provided support to some of the master BSPs to organize training programs and also shared the value proposition to others who are yet to see the benefit of building a network of services to expand their services.

In Q2 2021, four (4) Master Business Service Providers (comprising of CAD Consulting, Dorbudee Consulting, Remok Consults, and The Arkshore Konsult) collaborated to organize a training for 15 (4 females and 11 males) new BSPs . The training covered the use of the business diagnostic tools and picking sound company tools, developing a bankable business plan, client relationship and management, developing viable service value propositions, commercializing service offerings, and facilitating access to market and finance.

In the coming quarter, the master service providers will provide mentoring and linkages support to the newly trained BSPs to strengthen their capacity to offer business development services to MSME commercially.

SKILLS DEVELOPMENT FOR YOUTH EMPLOYMENT

Over 100 young people met expressed willingness to participate in skills development programs. It was observed that some of them are already saddled with the responsibility of parenthood and the majority lack basic formal education, which leaves us with the need to further exploit suitable options in such communities

A total of 86 youth emerged as winners of the challenge funds from the project states; Abia, Akwa Ibom and Rivers. Grants were disbursed to 43 beneficiaries in the aquaculture sector, 10 beneficiaries each in the ICT and finished leather sectors also received grants, while three beneficiaries each in the renewable energy and construction sectors were also awarded grants. These start-up businesses are functioning in the 3 states. This grant disbursement is the final activity for the NDYEP.
Work under this project in Q2 2021 focused on supporting PIND market advisors in the design of mentorship strategy for co-facilitators to enhance their implementation of market systems interventions in the region. The mentorship strategy for co-facilitators will ensure that these organizations continue to receive needed technical support and guidance in the implementation of several interventions across the region.

Also, within the quarter, CB participated with other PIND groups to carry out a scoping study of selected GMOU communities following the Peace and Economic Opportunities livelihood Assessment (P&ELOA) and the design of proposed interventions. This culminated in the development of a draft intervention justification document (IJD) for proposed interventions in the GMOU communities based on the P&ELOA findings.In Q2, 2021, PIND building on the success of the first quarter, commenced the study/assessment of multiple taxations and illegal levies in the Niger Delta. With the Abia State Long-Term Development plan completed, PIND continued to play an oversight function in the State by advising on the implementation of the plan. PIND, at the invitation of the Abia State Government, participated in the 2021 Aba Business and Leadership Summit and shared a paper on how to situate the summit in the Trade & Investment Section of the State Long-Term plan. Similarly, the Edo State Long-Term Development plan has also been finalized and will be launched and formally presented to the Executive Governor by PIND in the next quarter. Although the off-cycle gubernatorial elections along with the change in political office holders had stalled the progress of the plan, with consistent work from PIND’s Advocacy team, the planning project has now been brought to a successful end.Through PIND’s communications efforts, an additional 724,180 and 4,669,846 persons gained awareness about PIND through the Foundation’s digital media platforms and mainstream media respectively, during the reporting quarter, bringing the total number of persons with new or increased awareness about PIND to 5,394,026 persons in Q2 and a cumulative figure of 6,894,741 persons reached via these platforms within the first half of the year. Thus, already exceeding the annual target of 6,052,520.In Q2 2021, 12,918 males and 8,066 females (38% of the total beneficiaries) were beneficiaries of the various economic development interventions in the Niger Delta, in aquaculture, poultry, cassava, cocoa, and palm oil value chains, as well as the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) development and linkages and capacity building events targeted at improving their knowledge and practices with an aim to increase their incomes and improves their livelihoods. Similarly, 192 males and 78 females (41% of peace actors) participated in various peacebuilding interventions including: conflict mitigation, forums on peace and stability, skills enhancements, and mentorships, for the advancement of sustainable peace in the region. Nevertheless, PIND will intensify efforts to ensure the inclusion of persons living with disabilities (PWD) in intervention in the next quarter.