PIND 2020 Q2 Progress Report

The ongoing global pandemic of Covid-19 has caused a substantial shock across economies and additional levels of suffering for Niger Delta population, which may well continue and worsen as the pandemic unfolds. Travel and access restrictions mean that PIND staff and initiatives cannot be deployed, affecting many its operations in the Niger Delta. This has provided opportunity for PIND to shift towards more adaptive programming. This report considers major changes implemented and results achieved from April – June 2020 (Quarter 2 of 2020).

 

Despite the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on macro-economic and socio-political environment, PIND made significant changes on its approach and initiatives to create awareness, build knowledge, and change attitudes, capacity, and practices in ways that will continue to positively re-orient the hopes, aspirations, and visions of the people in the region.

 

Some notable successes of PIND’s initiatives during the quarter included:

• 20,875 farmers and MSMEs reached with information and knowledge on best practices and efficient technologies through the expansion of innovative business models that improved access to input, appropriate technologies and technical information to farmers.

 

• Incentivized private investors and farmers to invest 1.8 billion Naira to implement good agricultural practices, technological innovations, purchase of inputs and capital expenditure. Majority of the investments (1.65 billion Naira) were loan financing from banks and government institutional funding assistance schemes, while 4 percent (162.3 million Naira) were equity investments by farmers and small-scale businesses.

 

• The acceleration of PIND’s community-centered initiatives such as solar and environmentally friendly energy cabins and solar-powered cold rooms has improved energy access to the poorest populations and businesses that operate in under-served or off-grid communities in the Niger Delta. 108 households and 450 businesses and over a thousand persons gained access to electricity supply.

 

• In the GMoU communities, PIND influenced the regional development committees (RDCs) to deploy economic growth projects to their communities. In doing this, KEFFES RDC invested in building the capacity of 162 fish processors that operate in KEFFES RDC communities to enable them access business loans and new markets.

 

• With the aim of demonstrating ways of preventing violent conflict or acting even faster when conflict occurs, PIND continued to support the P4P Network to be more strategic and better coordinated in peacebuilding efforts. In these efforts, 77 peace actors applied skills that are necessary for responding to emerging conflicts in the Niger Delta.

 

• 1,530 youths were equipped with in-demand technical skills and competencies to prepare them for the world of work in paid employment, internships or entrepreneurship and 191 of them transited into waged employment.

 

• Through focused communications activities/engagements, more than 3.2 million people gained awareness about PIND through the digital media platforms and mainstream media. Also, PIND garnered 39 positive media mentions of its work and activities and attracted 18 public endorsements from stakeholders who interacted with its content on the website, newsletters, and social media posts.