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PIND 2022 Q2 Progress Report

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PIND 2022 Q2 PROGRESS REPORT

April – June 2022

This report highlights the achievements of PIND’s program interventions in the Niger Delta from April – June 2022 (Quarter 2, 2022), and 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.

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PIND 2022 Q2 Progress Report (1238 downloads )

Equitable increase in employment and incomes
Reducing Poverty by Overcoming Market Failures
Powering Coastal Rural Communities
Mitigating Conflicts by Implementing Interventions

SUMMARY OF PROGRESS

Market Systems Development
Market Systems Development: With PIND’s market development projects continuing to demonstrate progress towards widespread change, 15,190 farmers and agricultural entrepreneurs (42% 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 MSMEs and participating farmers to invest ₦1.8 billion to implement good agricultural practices, technological innovations, purchase inputs and undertake other capital expenditures. A total of ₦2.56 billion has been leveraged so far in 2022 (₦334.8 million: Equity and ₦2.2 billion: debt).
Access to Energy
PIND continued to play a significant role in driving the market for low–carbon, low–cost solutions that offer high-quality energy access to coastal communities. In Q2, 2022, a PIND-supported partner, Vectis Business Solutions deployed a community solar refrigeration hub to Koluama 2 community in Bayelsa State, to provide commercial refrigeration services to the cooperative members and the wider community. As a result, 250 fisherfolks in Koluama 2 community, and members of the neighboring Olobia community now have access to commercial solar refrigeration services. Another partner, A4&T, invested in the installation of 100 solar home systems (SHS) to serve 100 households in Tsekelewu community, Delta State. Cumulatively, 480 businesses and 750 household have been given access to electricity goods and services, so far in 2022.
Support to GMoU Communities
In the GMoU communities PIND continued its support to demonstration activities of the usefulness of chorkor ovens. Demonstrations were done in Ode-Ugborodo (Delta state) and Bilabiri 1 (Bayelsa state), leading to the adoption of 15 chorkor ovens in these communities, and a total of 35 chorkor ovens so far in 2022. In addition, PIND facilitated capacity-building sessions for fisher folks in Ogidigben (Delta state) Training areas included: safety measures for their fishing activities, appropriate use and maintenance of their fishing gears, and protection of breeding sites for sustainable fishing activities. PIND also facilitated the linkage between Sterling Bank and the Ugborodo fishing association to access finance for upgrade of their fishing gears. Additionally, PIND worked with local service providers to identify equipment dealers for linkage with fisher folks. Consequently, 10 fisher folks from Ogidigben and Gbagira (Ondo state) have adopted higher capacity outboard engines and fishing gears for their fishing businesses.
Youth Employment Pathways
With first phase of the DYEP project over, PIND scaled the YEP model into other states. 991 youths (42% female and 2% PWDs) have been enrolled in the Youth Employment Pathways program in Abia, Akwa Ibom and Rivers States, for the Niger Delta Youth Employment Pathways (NDYEP) scale-up. The youths were enrolled to build technical skills (with embedded soft skills training, for workplace preparedness) in four areas: Agriculture (Aquaculture) in Rivers and Akwa Ibom states, ICT, and building construction in all 3 states; and finished leather in Abia state only. In Delta state, PIND’s collaboration with the Delta State Ministry of Science and Technology was sustained with the ministry taking on some of the DYEP trainees as interns, during the reporting period.
Peace Building
PIND produced 15 conflict reports including 13 weekly conflict briefs and a special policy brief on peace and security impact of illegal artisanal oil refining in the Niger Delta, to create situational awareness, update stakeholders and catalyze response actions, this quarter. Also, PIND assisted 136 peace actors to constructively resolve emerging conflicts in various communities in the Niger Delta. This led to 13 quality actions1 being taken to mitigate conflict in different locations across the region.
Advocacy
In addition, PIND continued its work to ensure access to arable land in the Niger Delta. PIND influenced the establishment of an Arable Land Committee in Delta State. In Edo State, following extensive engagements carried out in the first quarter of the year, PIND secured executive consent of the Edo State governor on the propositions of the arable land committee for Edo State. Also, PIND continued efforts to position itself as a resource organization for the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), by pitching its PIA offerings to Heritage Energy Operational Services Limited (HEOSL) and Ford Foundation, with whom PIND plans to work with to educate host communities on the PIA and their role in the establishment of the HCDT/stewardship of the process.
Business Development
In line with its effort to diversify and expand its funding base, PIND continued engagements with potential partners to explore new opportunities across its program areas. PIND submitted two proposals to energy companies to support the implementation of their Host Communities Development Trusts (HCDT), in line with the PIA. Another proposal was submitted for a $21Million United States Department for Agriculture (USDA) Grant for a cocoa project. In addition, PIND held its first Business Development and Sustainability (BDS) Sub-Committee and board committee meetings.
Communications
By amplifying PIND’s communications this quarter, 2,296,793 people gained new or increased awareness about PIND, through its various platforms: newsletters, social media, website, email inquiries, forums and traditional mainstream media. Also, PIND garnered 39 positive media mentions of its work and activities
and attracted 30 public endorsements from stakeholders who interacted with its content on the website,
newsletters, and social media posts during the same period.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

The economic development program comprises three projects: Market Systems Development, Access to Energy, and the Youth Employment Pathways (YEP).

The overarching objective of the program is poverty reduction through increases in the number of men and women experiencing positive changes in income and attaining gainful employment. This is achieved through the facilitation of interventions with sustainable outcomes.

The market systems development project portfolio is made up of five agricultural value chains (aquaculture, cassava, cocoa, palm oil, and poultry) and three cross-cutting interventions (access to finance, access to inputs, and business linkages). The project aims to identify binding constraints in the sectors and seek sustainable solutions that can increase the income of thousands of poor men and women.

*Note: Impact indicators for the project are typically tracked once or twice a year to give sufficient time for the adoption of new practices, which would enable effective monitoring. As a result, no targets were set, nor results expected for the quarter being reviewed.
The Access to Energy project focuses on energy efficiency and renewable energy such as the energy cabin and solar refrigeration. While Access to Energy identifies and tests technological solutions, the market development project facilitates activities to develop market systems for uptake and adoption of such technologies.

The Youth Employment Pathways featured the Niger Delta Youth Employment Pathways (NDYEP) project between 2018 and 2021 which was funded by the Ford Foundation and implemented in Abia, Akwa Ibom, and Rivers States. It focused on agriculture, construction, finished leather goods and ICT sectors, and was built on PIND’s economic development strategy, which emphasizes sustainable interventions that result in full-time employment for youths. Following its successful piloting of being market-led, and demand-driven, the NDYEP model is being scaled up to other states and kicked off in Delta State in January 2021. This edition under the name, Delta Youth Employment Pathways project is funded by the Chevron Corporation.

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This section highlights key achievements for all initiatives implemented under the Market Systems Development (MSD) project in Quarter 2, 2022.

This project supports farmers and small enterprises in key agricultural sectors in the Niger Delta to improve their productivity, leading to an increase in income and reduction of poverty. The project utilizes the market systems development approach that relies on a sound initial analysis of market systems to pinpoint the underlying causes of market weaknesses, to inform the design and implementation of interventions that address the underlying causes, rather than symptoms, of market failure. To ensure the sustainability of PIND’s interventions, the development activities are further anchored on a service providers’ model that equips local service providers with the right skills, tools, and connections to sustainably provide viable market solutions that address the root causes of poor performance by farmers and enterprises in the region. This approach is used to support poor farmers in aquaculture, cassava, cocoa, palm oil, and poultry. These sectors represent the most viable agricultural value chains in the Niger Delta.

To focus on growth sectors that are strategically aligned to the commercial interests of service providers and implementing partners, PIND re-engineered its market systems project portfolio in 2019 to focus on two broad categorizations of crop and non-crop agricultural value chain intervention areas. By this, partners are strategically enabled to lead program implementation, in line with their incentives for participating in program interventions.

The Project’s focus for 2022 is to further strengthen the adaptation strategies developed by its network of market actors to increase its reach to 69,500 additional farmers and SMEs, out of which 46,055 are expected to increase their incomes.

In Q2 2021, the Market Systems Development (MSD) Project continued its work with service providers and other key market actors (fabricators, agricultural-input and equipment companies, farmers’ associations, financial institutions, etc.) to improve the performance of farmers to achieve the following objectives:

– Expand the training in best agronomic and business practices to more farmers and enterprises.

– Introduce new efficient technologies and expand the demonstration and adoption of the existing ones.

– Improve farmers’ access to quality seeds and support more enterprises to address market and funding

– Collaborate with the Peacebuilding team to finalize the design of viable interventions in the Chevron GMoU communities to address opportunities for improved livelihoods; and

– Implement interventions to improve access to finance for smallholder farmers through Sombreiro Kapital.

As a result, 15,190 new farmers and enterprises were reached directly with information and knowledge on best practices and efficient technologies, representing a 95.8% performance against the quarter’s target of 15,849. Also, within the quarter, the net funds leveraged by farmers/MSMEs adopting improved technologies on their farms6, was ₦1.8billion, making a total of ₦2.56 billion leveraged so far in 2022 – (total loans by MSMEs was ₦2.2billion).

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Aquaculture
Cassava
Cocoa
Palm Oil
Poultry
MSMEs

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS: AQUACULTURE

During review period and ahead of the planned close out activities scheduled for Q3, 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 and processors, to access funds for equipment and input purchase, particularly in the GMOU communities. PIND also continued its 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. Consequently, PIND reached 1,618 new farmers/processors (756 females).

Also within the quarter, farmers and processors invested ₦450,000 on 15 chorkor ovens adopted in Ugborodo (Delta State) and Bilabiri 1 (Bayelsa State) to serve 138 fish processors.

In line with the Board’s decision to end PIND’s active intervention in the sector, PIND will implement a series of close-out activities to exit the sector in Q3.

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KEY ACHIEVEMENTS: CASSAVA

This quarter, PIND continued to expand its activities on productivity improvement, working with new and existing partners across the region, by providing support to partners to strengthen relationships and linkages with farmers to ensure access to agricultural information, and quality inputs including stems, fertilizer, and CPPs required for their production. These partners conducted training programs and established demonstration plots on good agronomic practices across the region, reaching 3,996 (2,446 females) direct farmers this quarter, and 6,241 farmers so far in 2022.

Also, within the reporting period, PIND reviewed its strategy to expand its access to seeds intervention, to establish a more viable commercial Cassava seed system in the region, in collaboration with BASICS II; facilitated the establishment of a 33-hectare cassava out-grower farm in Imo State with Dufill Prima food (off-taker), in collaboration with Sombreiro Kapital and Sterling Bank Ltd.

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KEY ACHIEVEMENTS: COCOA

In 2022, PIND plans to support market actors to reach an additional 12,000 farmers with information on good practices, quality agro-inputs, and efficient technologies in the cocoa producing states.

In Q2, 2022, PIND supported export companies, cooperative groups, and Farm Service Providers to organize training programs and demonstration activities to reach new farmers. Eight Farm Service Providers (FSPs), one Nursery Operator, two input companies, and one off-taker, expanded GAP activities to more farmers in Abia, Delta, Edo, and Ondo States reaching 3,000 (788 females) farmers and 5,546 farmers so far in 2022.

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[dt_button link=”https://pindfoundation.org/project/cocoa-value-chain/” target_blank=”true” button_alignment=”default” animation=”fadeIn” size=”medium” style=”link” text_color_style=”context” text_hover_color_style=”accent” icon=”fa fa-chevron-circle-right” icon_align=”left”]Learn more [/dt_button][/dt_teaser]

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS: PALM OIL

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[dt_button link=”https://pindfoundation.org/project/palm-oil-value-chain/” target_blank=”true” button_alignment=”default” animation=”fadeIn” size=”medium” style=”link” text_color_style=”context” text_hover_color_style=”accent” icon=”fa fa-chevron-circle-right” icon_align=”left”]Learn more [/dt_button][/dt_teaser]

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS: POULTRY

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[dt_button link=”https://pindfoundation.org/project/poultry-value-chain/” target_blank=”true” button_alignment=”default” animation=”fadeIn” size=”medium” style=”link” text_color_style=”context” text_hover_color_style=”accent” icon=”fa fa-chevron-circle-right” icon_align=”left”]Learn more [/dt_button][/dt_teaser]

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS: MSME DEVELOPMENT & LINKAGES

The project activities are driven by business services providers (BSPs) whose capacities have been strengthened by PIND to enhance the growth of local enterprises. These BSPs work in partnership with financial institutions, large corporate buyers, chambers of commerce, and other public and private stakeholders important to the development of the MSME sector; to organize business linkages and investment forums, as well as to access new market and funding opportunities necessary for MSME development.

In 2022, PIND plans to work with the business service providers (BSPs) to expand the business performance of 4,500 MSMEs in the region, by improving their technical and business management skills and facilitating linkages to funding and market opportunities necessary for MSME growth and competitiveness.

In Q2, nine BSPs trained and supported 1,541 (664 women owned) MSMEs with business management, business plan development, loan application, and linkages to finance through the CBN Agri-Business/Small and Medium Enterprise Investment Scheme (AGSMEIS) scheme and other MSME-friendly loan schemes, and facilitated a total of ₦1.697 billion in loans. Cumulatively, 2,877 MSMEs have been reached so far in 2022.

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[dt_button link=”https://pindfoundation.org/project/market-systems-development/” target_blank=”true” button_alignment=”default” animation=”fadeIn” size=”medium” style=”link” text_color_style=”context” text_hover_color_style=”accent” icon=”fa fa-chevron-circle-right” icon_align=”left”]Learn more [/dt_button][/dt_teaser]

Aquaculture: KEY ACHIEVEMENTS: AQUACULTURE

During review period and ahead of the planned close out activities scheduled for Q3, 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 and processors, to access funds for equipment and input purchase, particularly in the GMOU communities. PIND also continued its 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. Consequently, PIND reached 1,618 new farmers/processors (756 females).

Also within the quarter, farmers and processors invested ₦450,000 on 15 chorkor ovens adopted in Ugborodo (Delta State) and Bilabiri 1 (Bayelsa State) to serve 138 fish processors.

In line with the Board’s decision to end PIND’s active intervention in the sector, PIND will implement a series of close-out activities to exit the sector in Q3.

[dt_teaser lightbox=”true” style=”2″ background=”fancy” animation=”zoomIn”]

[dt_button link=”https://pindfoundation.org/project/aquaculture-value-chain/” target_blank=”true” button_alignment=”default” animation=”fadeIn” size=”medium” style=”link” text_color_style=”context” text_hover_color_style=”accent” icon=”fa fa-chevron-circle-right” icon_align=”left”]Learn more [/dt_button][/dt_teaser]
Cassava: KEY ACHIEVEMENTS: CASSAVA

This quarter, PIND continued to expand its activities on productivity improvement, working with new and existing partners across the region, by providing support to partners to strengthen relationships and linkages with farmers to ensure access to agricultural information, and quality inputs including stems, fertilizer, and CPPs required for their production. These partners conducted training programs and established demonstration plots on good agronomic practices across the region, reaching 3,996 (2,446 females) direct farmers this quarter, and 6,241 farmers so far in 2022.

Also, within the reporting period, PIND reviewed its strategy to expand its access to seeds intervention, to establish a more viable commercial Cassava seed system in the region, in collaboration with BASICS II; facilitated the establishment of a 33-hectare cassava out-grower farm in Imo State with Dufill Prima food (off-taker), in collaboration with Sombreiro Kapital and Sterling Bank Ltd.

[dt_teaser lightbox=”true” style=”2″ background=”fancy”]
[dt_button link=”https://pindfoundation.org/project/cassava-value-chain/” target_blank=”true” button_alignment=”default” animation=”fadeIn” size=”medium” style=”link” text_color_style=”context” text_hover_color_style=”accent” icon=”fa fa-chevron-circle-right” icon_align=”left”]Learn more [/dt_button][/dt_teaser]
Cocoa: KEY ACHIEVEMENTS: COCOA

In 2022, PIND plans to support market actors to reach an additional 12,000 farmers with information on good practices, quality agro-inputs, and efficient technologies in the cocoa producing states.

In Q2, 2022, PIND supported export companies, cooperative groups, and Farm Service Providers to organize training programs and demonstration activities to reach new farmers. Eight Farm Service Providers (FSPs), one Nursery Operator, two input companies, and one off-taker, expanded GAP activities to more farmers in Abia, Delta, Edo, and Ondo States reaching 3,000 (788 females) farmers and 5,546 farmers so far in 2022.

[dt_teaser lightbox=”true” style=”2″ background=”fancy” animation=”zoomIn”]

[dt_button link=”https://pindfoundation.org/project/cocoa-value-chain/” target_blank=”true” button_alignment=”default” animation=”fadeIn” size=”medium” style=”link” text_color_style=”context” text_hover_color_style=”accent” icon=”fa fa-chevron-circle-right” icon_align=”left”]Learn more [/dt_button][/dt_teaser]
Palm Oil: KEY ACHIEVEMENTS: PALM OIL

[dt_teaser lightbox=”true” style=”2″ background=”fancy” animation=”zoomIn”]
[dt_button link=”https://pindfoundation.org/project/palm-oil-value-chain/” target_blank=”true” button_alignment=”default” animation=”fadeIn” size=”medium” style=”link” text_color_style=”context” text_hover_color_style=”accent” icon=”fa fa-chevron-circle-right” icon_align=”left”]Learn more [/dt_button][/dt_teaser]
Poultry: KEY ACHIEVEMENTS: POULTRY

[dt_teaser lightbox=”true” style=”2″ background=”fancy” animation=”zoomIn”]
[dt_button link=”https://pindfoundation.org/project/poultry-value-chain/” target_blank=”true” button_alignment=”default” animation=”fadeIn” size=”medium” style=”link” text_color_style=”context” text_hover_color_style=”accent” icon=”fa fa-chevron-circle-right” icon_align=”left”]Learn more [/dt_button][/dt_teaser]
MSMEs: KEY ACHIEVEMENTS: MSME DEVELOPMENT & LINKAGES

The project activities are driven by business services providers (BSPs) whose capacities have been strengthened by PIND to enhance the growth of local enterprises. These BSPs work in partnership with financial institutions, large corporate buyers, chambers of commerce, and other public and private stakeholders important to the development of the MSME sector; to organize business linkages and investment forums, as well as to access new market and funding opportunities necessary for MSME development.

In 2022, PIND plans to work with the business service providers (BSPs) to expand the business performance of 4,500 MSMEs in the region, by improving their technical and business management skills and facilitating linkages to funding and market opportunities necessary for MSME growth and competitiveness.

In Q2, nine BSPs trained and supported 1,541 (664 women owned) MSMEs with business management, business plan development, loan application, and linkages to finance through the CBN Agri-Business/Small and Medium Enterprise Investment Scheme (AGSMEIS) scheme and other MSME-friendly loan schemes, and facilitated a total of ₦1.697 billion in loans. Cumulatively, 2,877 MSMEs have been reached so far in 2022.

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[dt_button link=”https://pindfoundation.org/project/market-systems-development/” target_blank=”true” button_alignment=”default” animation=”fadeIn” size=”medium” style=”link” text_color_style=”context” text_hover_color_style=”accent” icon=”fa fa-chevron-circle-right” icon_align=”left”]Learn more [/dt_button][/dt_teaser]

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YEP SCALE-UP IN ABIA, AKWA IBOM & RIVERS STATES

In 2018; with funding from Ford Foundation, PIND implemented the Niger Delta Youth Employment Pathways (NDYEP) Pilot Project in Abia, Akwa Ibom and Rivers States. The pilot provided vocational skills training to 4,355 youths in emerging growth sectors of Agriculture, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Building Construction and supported linkages of these trainees to employment opportunities. With the completion of the Ford Foundation funded pilot phase of NDYEP, PIND, with its own funding, has commenced its scale-up in the pilot states of Abia, Akwa Ibom and Rivers, in addition to ongoing activities in Delta State.

Out of 2,422 applicants, 991 youths were enrolled in the NDYEP scale up project across the three states, within the reporting period. These youths were enrolled to build skills in four sectors: Agriculture (Rivers and Akwa Ibom States), ICT, building construction, and finished leather (Abia State only). The project is working with 11 implementing partners (involved in the NDYEP pilot phase) and private technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions to provide technical vocational skills training, whilst mainstreaming soft skills and entrepreneurship, in the curriculum.

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The coastline rural communities in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria suffer poor rural electrification, with many of the communities not having access to regular electricity supply to power basic economic assets and household needs, leading to reduced economic activities. Expectations for connection to the National grid anytime soon are unlikely due to high-cost implications and the difficult terrains. Since 2018, PIND has been addressing this gap through alternative and affordable off-grid solutions, capable of targeting not only basic energy needs (i.e lighting and cooking energy), but also productive use of energy at both household and rural enterprise levels (such as used in barber shops and beauty salons).

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Outreach
PIND’s Access to energy program had an outreach of 970 in Q2 2022. This are 850 persons across 250 businesses and 100 households now enjoying access to electricity goods and services, 110 persons who participated in PIND supported demonstrations, and 10 persons who received training as new village level energy stewards.
Matching Unserved Coastal Communities with Potential Power Project Developers
As part of the technical assistance and support provided to new businesses and power providers in Q2 2022, PIND facilitated community energy assessments and sensitization visits to three riverine communities in Delta and Edo states.

This was in a bid to match 3 solar power developers – ETIN power Limited, Oghosa Limited and Contained Energy Limited – who have interests in providing commercial solar electricity in the coastal areas, with viable communities. The visit engaged community leadership across Adagbarassa (Delta State), Ofunama (Edo State) and Ajakurama (Edo State) communities and completed some preliminary assessment on viability for commercial mini grids.
Solar Refrigeration for Coastal Communities
Earlier in the year, a needs assessment of the fishing communities around the coastal parts of the Niger Delta, without access to electricity, was completed with a view to supporting access to energy projects in hard-to-reach coastal communities, for value added electricity services in one of such communities. This led to the identification of Koluama 2 in Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, as fit for the project, due to the demand for electricity to power cold storage equipment and the potential for commercialization.

Collaborating with the KOTEF fishing cooperative as the anchor offtaker for the refrigeration hub services, PIND carried out a series of engagements and sensitization activities on the productive use of renewable energy cold storage services, in Q1 2022. The engagements buttressed the benefit of employing pro poor business models to prevent post-harvest losses for fisher folks, using cost-effective pay-per-service method. In Q2 2022, Vectis Business Solutions limited deployed a community solar refrigeration hub to Koluama 2 community, to provide commercial refrigeration services to the cooperative members as well as the wider community. Through this intervention, 250 fisherfolks in Koluama 2 community, and members of the neighboring Olobia community now have access to commercial solar refrigeration services.

The project also trained 5 community energy stewards as part of the support services towards establishing a sustainable operations and maintenance regime, while two of the trainees were employed as full-time hub workers.
Closing the Electricity Supply Gap in Underserved Communities with Solar-Home-Systems
Solar Home Systems (SHS) are a range of quick-deployment access to energy technologies, that bridge the gap between productive use and welfare needs – a typical scenario common to the riverine areas. It extends the power availability
period (hours) at a reduced cost and impact to the environment and has therefore become an increasingly popular solution for many off-grid communities.

In Q2 2022, PIND facilitated a Business to Consumer B2C town hall to support the introduction of other access to energy models that can support basic welfare needs in some coastal communities. To this end, a SHS demonstration was carried out in Tsekelewu community (Delta State) to explore the supply gaps from their community generator systems.

For coastal communities like Tsekelewu with communal generating sets, the SHS offers some resilience against the instability of the local generator grid. On the one hand, the SHS is able to plug the demand gap for electricity by powering tier 1 and 2 systems of energy which are essentially phones, light bulbs and fans. On the other hand, it has the potential of weaning the households from non-essential fossil fuel electricity use and consequently a reduction on their household spend and demand for electricity from the diesel generators.

Through this activity, PIND leveraged ₦6M through A4&T’s investment in 100 SHS to be installed across an initial 100 households in Tsekelewu community. In addition, PIND’s community engagement efforts, training of community energy stewards and technology demonstration events all contributed towards derisking the project for A4&T who invested in technology that will provide access to electricity, through Pay-as-you-go services to subscribing households.

63 persons attended the technology demonstration at the Tsekelewu community hall, while another 5 members of the community were trained and retained as distribution service agents to scale the penetration of the SHS in the community and neighboring locations.

The Agricultural Extension and Advisory Services (AEAS) Activity is jointly-funded by USAID and PIND over a five-year period (May 25, 2020 – May 24, 2025). Like PIND, the Activity utilizes a facilitative approach to market development by partnering with micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and key market actors within the aquaculture, cowpea, maize, rice, and soybean value chains to pilot proven technologies, scale up successful ones, and promote the adoption of improved production practices. It also aims to improve service delivery that will rapidly, effectively, and sustainably provide access to agro-inputs and disseminate extension messaging to at least two million smallholder farmers in Benue, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Kaduna, Kebbi, and Niger states.

The Extension Activity uses Lean production principles and tools to develop a deep understanding of the existing production systems to identify the most promising opportunities (also known as most impactful practices- MIPs) and the most important constraints to improve efficiency and increase return on investment for farmers. The Extension Activity leverages MSMEs as change agents around the identified on-farm opportunities. These MSMEs are strategically placed intermediaries for upstream and downstream movement of inputs and commodities through the market system; and their businesses depend on and can grow with the enhanced competitiveness and profitability of smallholder producers: their core customers.

PIND and AEAS Interventions in the Niger Delta

The AEAS project focuses on interventions in Aquaculture, Maize and Rice in Delta and Cross River States. Between April and June 2022, the Extension Activity identified and validated 11 additional MIPs, bringing the total list to 20 MIPs across the five target value chains it is intervening; nine of these MIPS are being promoted in Cross River and Delta State as shown below.

Aquaculture: Stocking juveniles; Complementary feeding with Maggots and Duckweed
Maize: Mechanized land preparation, Fall Army Worm control & management

Rice: Mechanized threshing, Mechanized land prep with small equipment- power tillers (lowland rice)

Maize & Rice: Use of improved seeds, optimum herbicide utilization for weed management, optimum fertilizer use

Of the 179 MSMEs partnering with the Extension Activity and receiving services to promote private sector extension in Cross River and Delta states, 70 MSMEs commercialized the MIPs this quarter and are providing extensions services to 7,798 small holder farmers (SHFs). Of these, 4 MSMEs conducted demand stimulation and extension messaging campaigns in Cross River state on the use of improved seeds in 11 communities in these 4 LGAs: Akamkpa, Bekwarra, Obanliku, and Ogoja. To further reach farmers in rural communities with extension services and stimulate the adoption of MIPs, 10 MSMEs in Cross River State engaged and trained 80 private Agricultural Extension Agents (AEAs), which include champion farmers and small-scale out-door agricultural input retailers, to serve farmers in Ogoja and Yala LGAs.

Incorporated to Facilitate Lending to Businesses

Over the years, poor or no access to finance has affected the productivity of businesses in the Niger Delta. This is due to systemic constraints (existing laws, infrastructural deficit, and knowledge gap), which influence the demand and supply of financial services. In response to these constraints, Sombreiro Kapital (SK) was incorporated to facilitate lending to businesses through the issuance of credit guarantees to partner commercial banks to de-risk lending and unlock the flow of funds to intended beneficiaries.

Loans Worth ₦75,000,000 to 250 Smallholder Farmers, in Addition to Designing a Sustainability Plan

In 2022, SK’s target is to facilitate loans worth ₦300 million to 1,000 businesses in the selected value chains of aquaculture, poultry, cocoa, oil palm, and cassava, across the focal states of Delta, Edo, Bayelsa, Imo, and Ondo through risk-sharing with partner commercial banks.

In the second quarter of 2022, although SK planned to facilitate loans worth ₦75,000,000 to 250 smallholder farmers, in addition to designing a sustainability plan that will deliver profitable financial returns and create positive value for stakeholders, it instead prioritized loan recovery over facilitating additional loans. This was because the non-performing loan rate on SK-guaranteed loans rose from 3.78% to 11%, due to the diversion of ₦16 million by one of the signatories to the benefitting farmers’ cooperative’s account.

To ensure that the loan default rate remains within the industry benchmark of 5%, and to improve the quality of loan applicants, SK revised the eligibility criteria for farmer groups to access guarantee instruments, including vetting account signatories during the assessment phase, and facilitated the recruitment of loan monitoring officers in each of the focal states, in collaboration with Sterling Bank.

As a result in Q2, ₦100,402,277 was recovered from 251 smallholder farmers, leaving an outstanding balance of ₦25,356,319 owed by 61 smallholder farmers, with measures in place to ensure recovery.

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PEACEBUILDING

This section highlights key achievements of the Peace Building program in Q2, 2022

PIND continued to undertake interventions in conflict prevention, conflict management and peacebuilding in the Niger Delta region as part of the plan of action aimed at keeping the level of violence as low as possible, particularly in key communities of interest, while also building the social infrastructure and social capital of peace actors across the region for long term sustainable peace. PIND’s peace building strategy recognizes the need for an integrated and comprehensive approach to tackling the complex causes and drivers of conflict; adopting innovative approaches to work on problems of militancy, election violence, gang/cult violence, communal violence, and the cross-cutting issue of Violence Affecting Women and Girls (VAWG).

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Key Achievements of the Peace Building Program in Q2, 2022

In Q2, PIND inducted 90 youths into its Niger Delta Peace Champions program as part of its strategy of promoting grassroots facilitated prevention, mitigation, and resolution of violent conflicts in the region. These youths are scheduled to receive training in peacebuilding and PIND’s Early Warning and Early Response (EWER) system to complement the P4P Peace Monitors and Prevent Teams as part of a strategy to strengthen the incident reporting and response mechanisms of PIND’s Early Warning and Early Response system.

The data-driven and highly analytical weekly conflict updates produced by Peacebuilding alerted stakeholders to new emerging trends and patterns of violence and instability in the region. In June 2022, based on information from the IPDU weekly updates and conflict reports, the Peacebuilding team in collaboration with NDLink facilitated an online discussion (Twitter Chat) on how to mitigate election related violence and targeted killing of women and girls in the Niger Delta. The online discussion raised public awareness of the emerging trends and dynamics of targeted violence against women and girls in the Niger Delta.

PIND Inducted 90 Youths into its Niger Delta Peace Champions Program

During the quarter, 214 conflict early warning incidents were reported on the SMS EWER platform. From the incidents reported on the SMS EWER platform, the IPDU generated and disseminated conflict alerts to 35 peace actors including the P4P Prevent committees for situational awareness and preventive response. Several incidents of politically motivated violence and killings were reported during the primary elections of some political parties during the period. Although data from the peace maps show that communal conflict including farmer-herder clashes, criminal insurgency/violent separatist agitation and targeted violence against women and girls (VAWG) increased by 58%, 44% and 53% respectively during the quarter; at the state level, communal conflict and violence against women and girls (VAWG) decreased by 37% and 36% respectively in Delta State, and cult/gang related violence decreased by 50% in Bayelsa State during the period.

Stimulating Peace Actors to Tackle Conflict and Promote Peace.

PIND’s peace efforts are geared towards preventing violence as a means of resolving conflicts, reducing fragility as a breeding ground for violence, and creating opportunities for long-term development. Since conflicts are a natural part of the social processes of change for sustainable development, PIND relentlessly promotes a culture of peace by providing relevant data for early response and facilitating collaborative efforts for implementing conflict management and peace building interventions. Through its Integrated Peace Development Unit (IPDU) and the Partners for Peace (P4P) network, PIND facilitates training and workshops to enhance capacities of peace actors to constructively mitigate conflict.

In Q2 of 2022, 22 stakeholders in communities in Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Ondo and Rivers States, whose capacities had been strengthened through PIND/P4P facilitated training sessions and workshops, applied the skills they had acquired to promote peace and tackle conflict in their communities. Most of the peace actors reportedly applied their skills by providing further training to others; engaging in conflict mitigation efforts within and outside their communities; reporting conflict issues to the PIND/SMS platform; engaging in peacebuilding awareness campaigns against electoral violence and analyzing conflict trends and patterns.

Also, 136 peace actors (P4P members) constructively resolved emerging conflicts in various communities in the Niger Delta, utilizing 13 ‘quality actions’ to resolve these conflicts within the reporting period. Some of such interventions towards creating a long-term peaceful environment, are presented below.

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Daniel

Edo State

TYPE OF CONFLICT ISSUE

OUTCOME OF INTERVENTION

Leadership Tussle

A leadership tussle between two elders in Apana Community, Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State, started in 2011 and has reemerged periodically since then. The struggle for the leadership position led to the division of community members as community members in support of the opponent refused to attend any meeting summoned by any of these two elders. In April 2022, as part of P4P’s periodic monitoring/follow-up and conflict resolution efforts, Daniel applied the skills from the P4P training and brought the members of the community together in multiples dialogues. Although the leadership tussle has not been fully resolved, however community members now attend community meetings despite who/what factions calls for the meetings.

Sammy

Akwa Ibom State

TYPE OF CONFLICT ISSUE

OUTCOME OF INTERVENTION

Land Dispute

Sammy, a member of Partners for Peace in Ibesikpo, Akwa Ibom State, intervened in a land dispute between Ikot-ekwere and Ikot-Obioitongin April 2022, caused by acquisition of land for a factory by an investor who had approached and negotiated with Ikot Ekwere but ownership of the land in question was claimed/contested by Ikot Obiotong. The dispute resulted in injuries and damages to properties and houses. After mapping the conflict situation, he invited the security personnel and the local government to intervene, they jointly convened a meeting between both communities. As a result, the case was resolved, with the local government taking ownership of the land.
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Oden

Cross River State

TYPE OF CONFLICT ISSUE

OUTCOME OF INTERVENTION

Communal Conflict

Oden attended a training on Conflict Assessment and Resource Mobilization in 2017 and since then, he has been a committed member of the P4P network, has passed on the knowledge to several youths in his community and has been actively involved in conflict early warning incident reporting to the EWER platform, and voluntarily undertaken preventive interventions. In May 2022, he collaborated with one of the youths he trained to intervene in a conflict between Nko and Onyadama communities of Cross River State. It was a land dispute that resulted in loss of properties, destruction of farmlands and physical violence. They organized several round table discussions with both communities and peaceful negotiations are now ongoing between the communities.
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Key Achievements in Quarter 2 of 2022 for all Initiatives Implemented under the General Enabling Program.

PIND’s two distinct but interrelated programs, Economic Development and Peace Building, are supported by initiatives which enable, measure, and communicate the results and achievements of the pillar programs and they include:

- A capacity building that will build the service delivery and engagement capacity of business membership organizations, civil society organizations and communities.

- Advocacy that seeks to influence policies, practices and programs underpinned by in-depth analyses and understanding of systemic constraints to growth in the Niger Delta region.

- A robust communications and outreach effort that enhances PIND’s reputation through clear and consistent messaging via multiple channels, of its unique selling points, transformative approaches, impacts and learning.

PIND’s General Enabling Program contributes to the following global Sustainable Development Goals:

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CAPACITY BUILDING

Organizations Accessing Funds and Grants for Capacity Building

Within in the reporting period, a total of ₦7.8 million was recorded as funds raised by organizations who were trained by PIND to provide capacity strengthening to individuals and organizations as follows:

– Conservation Alliance received total funding of ₦4.8 million from Finance in Motion (FIM) and the National Cashew Association of Nigeria (NCAN). The funds were for carrying out studies on cashew and other certified crops in Nigeria (including the Niger Delta).
– Similarly, KOLPING Society of Nigeria received ₦3 million from Africa Cassava Agronomy Initiatives (ACAI) to train 1,000 individuals to become commercial seed entrepreneurs. Cumulatively, ₦24.8 million has been raised so far in 2022, against the annual target of ₦26 million.

Additionally, Self Help and Rural Development Association (SHERDA) provided capacity-building support to the GMOU communities, to 250 participants in Asaingbene cluster and Kolokuma/Opokuma cluster.

The Extent of Change in Policy Concerning Multiple Taxations on Small-scale Businesses.

In Q2, an internal review of the report on the impact of multiple taxations and illegal levies on small businesses in Abia, Delta, and the Rivers States, took place followed by a subsequent review/perfection by an external subject matter. Also, in Q2, work progressed on the design of a tax matrix for the intervention states (Abia, Delta, and Rivers States), with the legal and illegal taxes identified and tracked through the matrix. Public dissemination forums are scheduled for Q3 in Port Harcourt and Asaba which will bring together business service providers, business owners, government Tax officials, media, and civil society. They will discuss the findings and recommendations of the field assessment towards designing workable solutions that address this issue in the Niger Delta at large, starting with the intervention states.

Quality and Comprehensive Policies and Strategies that Promote a Peaceful Non-violent Society.

PIND participated in a Technical Committee meeting of the National Council on Niger Delta which held in Calabar, Cross River State in May 2022. It afforded PIND the opportunity, as a member of the regional committee, to present a memo on the partnership with Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs (MNDA) to develop a peacebuilding infrastructure for the region.
Building on the memo presented in Calabar, the MoU sealing the partnership between PIND and MNDA to develop the regional peacebuilding infrastructure was finalized in June 2022 is awaiting signing by both parties.

NDLink

In Q2 of 2022, PIND achieved a remarkable milestone with its online advocacy platform, NDLink (www.ndlink.org) which in line with its sustainability plan, offered its first subscription service to the Civil society coalition on Environmental Action and the Civil Society Coalition.

Increasing Awareness of PIND among Stakeholder Groups through Digital and Mainstream Media

In the second quarter of the year, similar to the first, discourse on the digital media space continued to be dominated by the upcoming Nigeria 2023 general elections, insecurity, and migration of skilled workforce from Nigeria in search of greener pastures. To key into the discourse, remain relevant, and attract audience attention to PIND, the Unit focused on using relatable human stories to share critical messages of economic opportunities, peacebuilding, and enabling environment facilitated by PIND across multiple channels of communication: social media, newsletter, website, traditional media, forums, and knowledge products such as factsheets and reports. Via these channels, PIND’s brand messages reached a total of 2,296,793 target stakeholders.

visitors learned about PIND for the first time

positive mainstream media mentions

Public Endorsement of PIND

Downloads of PIND’s knowledge products

GENDER EQUALITY AND SOCIAL INCLUSION

Steering Women’s Economic Empowerment

In Q2 2022, 9,394 males and 6,897 females (42% of the total beneficiaries) benefitted from the various economic development interventions in the Niger Delta, targeted at improving their knowledge and practices; with an aim to increase their incomes and improve their livelihoods. Also 17 people with disabilities were reached through the Youth Empowerment Program (YEP) stakeholders’ engagement workshops.

Similarly, 319 males and 243 females (43% of the 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.

PIND Gender Mainstreaming Policy and Strategy Update

As part of the 2019 Participatory Stakeholders Review (PSR) recommendations, PIND integrated social inclusion in its Gender Mainstreaming Policy and Strategy in line with global best practice in bringing other vulnerable segments of the population to a common fold for improved attention to their issues and contributions to sustainable development and in Q2 2022, PIND continued activities to update the policy.

Petroleum Industry Act (PIA)

This quarter, PIND submitted a proposal to Heritage Energy Operational Services Limited (HEOSL), an independent, private company with a diversified, international oil and gas portfolio, and operator of Oil Mining Lease (OML) 30, with 30 assets, working in 112 communities (including GMoU), whom PIND seeks to handle its transition from its current GMoU structures to the Host Community Development Trust (HCDT) as instituted by the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), in partnership with New Nigeria Foundation (NNF). PIND also pitched its PIA offerings and to Ford Foundation, with whom PIND plans to work with to educate host communities on the PIA and their role in the establishment of the HCDT and stewardship of the process.

Also, PIND and NNF submitted a proposal to Green Energy (an indigenous oil company) to conduct a needs assessment and capacity building for its Host Communities Development Trust (HCDT) in Rivers State. The needs assessment and capacity building are in line with the requirements of the PIA and will involve the collection of socio-economic baseline data, identification & mapping of stakeholders and capacity building for the HCDTs.

PIND is also co-creating with Ford Foundation to focus on empowering community stakeholders to function effectively under the PIA HCDT regime. The plan is to train key community representatives, and Civil Society Organizations to support the host communities by serving as umpires during the process of implementation.

United States Department for Agriculture (USDA)

PIND (lead organization), along with partners in a consortium of five-member organizations; North Carolina State University (NCSU), FHI 360, New Nigeria Foundation (NNF), Center for Research and Development (CERAD), and Conservation Alliance (CA); submitted a proposal for a $21Million grant to the USDA. The 5-year (2022 to 2027) cocoa-centered project will be implemented across 12 cocoa producing states of Nigeria. The proposal is being reviewed with outcomes expected in Q3.

United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)

With UNICEF’s strategic targeting of young adults (below 24 years) as a beneficiary group, PIND held a meeting with UNICEF to explore partnerships for youth employment initiatives, with a potential to mainstream the initiatives with peacebuilding. PIND shared details of the NDYEP (Niger Delta Youth Employment Pathways) project’s goal of bridging the gap of youth employment in the Niger Delta, with emphasis on the evidence-led and demand driven approach to the project, following the labour market assessment conducted prior to implementing the project.

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