KYARI INAUGURATES COMMITTEE ON MSME TO BOOST AGRICULTURAL VALUE CHAIN.

"The Federal Ministry of Agriculture is committed to improve the agricultural value chains to unlock value for farmers (MSMEs) with special focus on areas in which we have comparative advantage by providing interventions in different commodity value chains and development of rural infrastructure for food production’’. Senator Abubakar Kyari Minister of Agriculture and Food Security.

Abuja- Nigeria's Honourable Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari on Thursday, inaugurated the Implementation Technical Committee on Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises(MSME), and National Argo-Allied Commodities Cooperatives of Nigeria (NACCON) to enhance Agricultural Value Chain and ensure Corporate Interactions, Drive Economic Growth and Create Job Opportunities for Nigerian Farmers.

The inauguration ceremony, which was held at the Ministry’s Conference Room, in Abuja, had the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Marcus Olaniyi Ogunbiyi, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture representing the Honourable Minister. 

He disclosed that the federal government would provide a conducive environment for the agribusiness MSMEs to maximize their full potential in production, processing, packaging, marketing and distribution in the Agriculture Ecosystem.

Kyari added that "the Federal Ministry of Agriculture is committed to improve the agricultural value chains to unlock value for farmers (MSMEs) with special focus on areas in which we have comparative advantage by providing interventions in different commodity value chains and development of rural infrastructure for food production’’.

The Minister pointed out that "the income generation by our farmers, increased trade and investment opportunities (locally and internationally), growth in foreign exchange earnings, job creation and poverty reduction’’.

He revealed that the aggregation of the produce of the micro, small, and medium producers are considered to be the economic pivots of any nation. Without the existence of the input or contribution of their produce, there can not be produce to showcase, which implies NO Agribusiness MSMEs, NO Nation’’.

In his welcome remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Marcus Ogunbiyi, represented by the Director, Department of Agribusiness and Market Development, Mr. Iwara Bassey stated that the mandate of the committee is in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr. President in the agriculture sector, which is geared toward achieving food security and economic growth.

Responding on behalf of the committee, Hon. Juiluis Akam thanked the ministry for assembling relevant stakeholders in the sector for this national assignment, and he also pledged that the committee would work assiduously to achieve its mandate.

This was contained in a statement issued and signed by Ezeaja Ikemefuna, Assistant Director, Information of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.