The InfoStride Forum

Protocols

 

I am highly delighted to welcome you all here today to the First Edition of Agbeloba AgriBusiness Forum 2013 holding at nature's gift to mankind, Ikogosi Warm Spring Resort, Ikogosi Ekiti State.

This high level forum themed "Engaging Ekiti Competitive Resources for Nigeria's Agri-food Sector" is organized to generate thorough and comprehensive public and private sector discourse of the opportunities, potentials, actualities and competencies within the agricultural space in the state and country at large; and ultimately stimulate rewarding partnerships for the actualization of the aggressive agenda on agriculture of this administration i.e. Modernising Agriculture.

The methodologies to be engaged at this forum include High-level Plenary Sessions, Technical Sessions, as well as Pre-Organised One-on-One Business Meetings, which will all culminate into a Public and Private Sector Dialogue. These dialogues will cover key policy issues and in-depth conversations on how the private and public sectors (both internal and external) can play greater roles in agricultural development initiatives of Ekiti State and surrounding sister states, most especially those in the South Western region of Nigeria. The forum will also be used to further highlight the imperative of youth participation in the agricultural value chains. No doubt, this is uniquely designed to be a loaded multi-dimensional, multi-disciplinary event that will deeply discuss varying subject matters that are very crucial and germane to harnessing and optimising resources for food security in the State and the nation at large.

As you are aware, Agriculture had been tagged the next frontier for economic development in Nigeria and Africa. A lot of moves and discussions are focused on harnessing potentials in Africa toward developing Commercial Agriculture, yet, poverty persists. As for us in Ekiti State, Food Security is the first line of defense and attack to make poverty history. Therefore, all stakeholders must take the development of the agricultural sector seriously. This is the only way to guarantee the future of our great nation Nigeria beyond oil.

I look forward to deep discussions on how to engage Ekiti State resources in developing a competitive commercial agri-food sector.

I am elated at the caliber of personalities that are in attendance. I am happy we have within this hall Excellences' (who drive some of the largest State economies in Nigeria), Legislators (who support enabling environment for agribusiness, through appropriate laws), commercial agribusiness operators, financiers, academia, global agribusiness support service providers, and of course our youths, who had made it to Ekiti State for this programme. I am indeed honoured to have you all. Be rest assured that you will learn more of how we had made it through our various intervention approaches. Also, we are desirous to gain knowledge on how to do things better to facilitate and consolidate achievements under our Agenda 3. For us all, this forum should afford us that unique opportunity to network and as well showcase investment opportunities in Ekiti State State and Nigeria. Our Youth entrepreneurs should also use this platform to initiate profiting relationships with established and matured business entities to further consolidate their budding agribusiness operations.

Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, it will not be out of place to state that in order to further deepen strategic investments within the State's agribusiness sector, our government will be sealing important deals in the course of the programme. As you are aware, over the past two years, we have had investment commitment beyond US$300M within this space. This partnership deal sealings will only consolidate further investment in the sector. Also, our unrepentant focus on incentivizing youths into agriculture had continued to yield excellent results. Today, harvesting last year's Cassava production cycle of our Youths in Commercial Agriculture Development (YCAD) Programme for institutional sales continues and will be for the next 350 days, with over 60tonnes per day hitting factory gates of Thai Farms (Flour Mills of Nigeria), Nigeria Starch Mills, MATNA e.t.c.

The deal with the Dutch Agriculture Development and Trading Company (DADTCO) will bring a new dimension to this i.e the processing and sales of cassava cake and eventual setting up of one of the largest cassava mills in Ekiti State. All this is what had given serious boost to our employment status. Hundreds of youths is directly involved in these commercial endevours and about 10,000 persons are engaged along the value chains.

Our focus in 2013 had been to facilitate the establishment of primary processing facilities that will had value to our farmers production outputs and prepare such for the huge internal market in Nigeria, most especially Lagos and Abuja that Ekiti State is comparatively advantageously located to service. I will use this medium to state that Lagos State and mine are finalizing a supply agreement to support the Farmers Mart and the Rice Mill in Lagos with fresh produce and rice paddy respectively. My administration is also supporting farmers and youths in facilitating investments in processing equipment and facilities to establish cassava, broiler and fish processing facilities within Ekiti, hence reducing unprocessed output trucking for sales. Investors should catch in on opportunities and synergies like this to invest heavily in Ekiti State on the production and processing sides of the value chain. It is estimated that over US$500M will be required for this initial investment.

Appreciating that food security challenges abound across many domains in Nigeria and Africa, due to a complex interplay of ageing farm hands, declining farm productivity from largely subsistence farm holdings and archaic farm practices, the present administration will continue to support our teeming population of farmers through our Fountain Agricultural Marketing Agency (FAMA), Agriculture Development Programme (ADP) and FADAMA platforms. As many will notice, we have recently resolved to retool and refocus the operations of these three systems to directly support "real farmers". I will implore our farmers on the field to catch in on these opportunities to better their lots and not allow selfish intermediaries to corner their entitlements. I make it bold to say that this Government is doing everything possible to give Agriculture its place of pride.

We are fast changing the face of agriculture in the State and beyond through our various initiatives and schemes, including using Agbeloba AgriBusiness Forum to initiate a great departure from the former way we consider and treat agriculture. I am bold to announce to you all that Ekiti State is open for business. Also let me say that this forum in no doubt will avail all participants a deep sense of this statement (that we are open for business) and take home one or two benefits, which will include:

 

•      i.        Building strategic collaboration between with other State Government here present, business development partners and other government structures, most especially the Federal system.
•    ii.        Discussing institutional framework and support for massive agribusiness investment, planning and promotion
•   iii.        Gaining fresh insight on agribusiness models and innovations which can have positive effect on food security, employment generation and wealth creation
•   iv.        Discussing strategies and policies for smallholder farmers development
•     v.        Exploring new windows and models for inter/intra-regional value chain development across states – most especially actualizing the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Strategy
•   vi.        Fostering clear consensus of roles of and opportunities for private sector participation in sustainable and inclusive commercial agriculture in Ekiti State
•  vii.        Locating access to essential resources, most especially funding from our development partners, financial institutions e.t.c. for agricultural development

Ladies and gentlemen, I will not take your time with a long speech, as today is filled with lots of discussions, of which I will be part; I wish us all a fruitful deliberation and concrete action points that will drive actualization of our vision in Agriculture

 

Thank you for listening.

 

Dr. Kayode Fayemi

Governor of Ekiti State, Nigeria

Tuesday, October 29, 2013