By Gabriel Ewepu – Abuja

The Federal Government is set to partner a non-governmental organization, Beyond Oil Initiative Nigeria, BoIN, for agribusiness development and job creation.

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mohammed Nanono, stated this during a courtesy visit of BoIN team led by the National Programme Coordinator, Adanma Ogumka-Ekeji, at the Ministry’s headquarters in Abuja.

Nanono maintained that the federal government has the political will to all it could to ensure the sector becomes the leading sector for wealth and job creation in regards to food production and security as being demonstrated since 2015.

He said the Initiative was in line with the vision of the Buhari-led administration, particularly in achieving a thrust of the second term which is the ‘Next Level’ agenda in the agricultural sector.

He also expressed optimism that the move and partnership with organisation’s such as BoIN would create the desired value chain, facilitate product standardization and promote global market access of Nigerian branded products with massive job creation and increase Internally Generated Revenue for the country.

He also emphasized that there is a need to promote global best packaging methods and branding of products towards ensuring global market penetration.

He said: “The Beyond Oil Initiative is in line with the vision of the Buhari-led administration, particularly in achieving a thrust of the second term which is the ‘Next Level’ agenda in the agricultural sector.

“With the move and partnership with organisation’s such as BoIN it would create the desired value chain, facilitate products standardization and promote global market access of Nigerian branded products with massive job creation and increase Internally Generated Revenue for the country

“The programme would facilitate uniform grading and competitive pricing of Nigerian Agric products and boost mechanization  and technology-driven commercial production of selected viable exportable agricultural products.”

Meanwhile, earlier speaking was the National Coordinator, BoIN, Adanma Ogumka – Ekeji, who disclosed that they have a good dominant force in agribusiness including partnerships.

“We have foremost market access specialist/expert, working with leading global institutions and the government to develop and take back domestic and export markets of indigenous commodities which have been taken by other countries, thereby making Nigeria a dumping ground for our quality products.

“The Program is working in partnership with Alex Ekwueme  Federal University, Ndufu Ikwo Alike, AE-FUNIA, Ebonyi State, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and other international organizations to achieve these set goals”,  Ogumka -Ekeji said.

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