‘’The entire team collectively prepared the proposal documents, following the grant writing standards taught during the mentorship. This helped us meet the donor project’s requirements as SEYP received a grant of EUR 45,000 from the Embassy. After that, we secured another grant of EUR 300,000 from the European Union (EU)/IOM, and the strength of staff has increased to 17 permanent staff,’’ explained the Chief Executive, Jennifer Ero.
“My name is Dr. Jeffery Wilkie, the co-chairman of the Warri Multi-Stakeholder Platform (MSP). So far, through the Warri MSP (which is a brainchild of PIND), we have been able to get experience and build capacity in conflict management—which we applied in circumstances that unfolded between the Ijaw and the Itsekiri in the three (3) Warri local government areas of Delta State (Warri North, Warri South, and Warri South-West) over the naming of the location where a new oil facility sited on a boundary land owned by the two (2) ethnic groups.
Our Niger Delta Youth Employment Pathways (NYDEP) project targets to empower young people in the region to attain market-relevant technical skills, vocational skills, and soft skills to secure waged employment or start an enterprise (SDG 4 & 8).
The access-to-energy project works to develop access to affordable renewable energy for households and businesses to improve productivity, increase income, trigger new jobs, and improve the quality of life for the communities (SDG 7).
Smallholder farmers and MSMEs in the Niger Delta encounter difficulty getting funds from financial institutions because of several factors. These factors include inappropriate financial products for the agricultural value chains; perceived low productivity and competitiveness in financing the sectors; and the perceived risk associated with agricultural financing.
PIND’s approach to improving access to funds for smallholder farmers and MSMEs entails developing new, inclusive financial models built around the peculiarities of the agricultural and agro-allied sectors. To qualify for the funds and loans from commercial banks, MFBs, and equity investors, we encouraged a crop of BSPs (business service providers) to support smallholder farmers and MSMEs.
Our business linkages project assists micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the region to become more competitive, productive, and diversified in their markets. They will reap higher income (through increased sales and profits) and create new jobs for people (through access to quality business support services, markets, and funding).
Our poultry-value-chain project is working to help poultry farmers and processors increase their productivity, sales, and income while generating new jobs by adopting good poultry farming and business practices—as well as access to extension services, quality inputs, funding, and markets.
Our palm oil-value-chain project helps smallholder palm oil farmers and processors increase their sales through the increased quantity and quality of their outputs. They earn more income; create new jobs by adopting best management practices; and access improved processing and harvesting technology, improved seedlings, funding, and market linkages.
Our cocoa-value-chain project helps cocoa farmers and processors increase their production quality and quantity, their sales and income, and the number of new jobs in the sector. These farmers and processors accomplish this through good cocoa agricultural practices, access to extension services, improved technologies, quality seedlings, and enhanced market relationships.
Our cassava-value-chain project enables smallholder cassava farmers and processors to increase their yield, earn more income and employ more persons. This is achieved through the adoption of good farming and business practices; access to quality inputs and extension services; and improved cassava processing technology, funding, and new markets.