Norway Pledges Support for Nigeria’s Agricultural Revolution

• Norway’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Svein Baera, commits support to Nigeria’s agribusiness, emphasizing mechanization for increased productivity and youth engagement
• Norway actively invests in climate-friendly fish feed and cocoa processing in Nigeria, showcasing financial backing for agricultural initiatives

The Ambassador of Norway to Nigeria, Svein Baera, affirmed his country’s commitment to supporting agribusiness in Nigeria during the Norway – Nigeria Agribusiness Forum in Abuja on Tuesday.

Baera, who presented his credentials to the President the previous month, highlighted the significance of agriculture and agribusiness in their discussions. He emphasized the need to boost productivity, with mechanization identified as a key strategy.

Norway is actively backing research programs for the local production of climate-friendly fish feed in Nigeria, focusing on enhancing fish farming. Baera also mentioned Norfund’s investment of $12 million in a cocoa processing plant in Ibadan, showcasing Norway’s financial support for Nigeria’s agricultural initiatives.

The Ambassador outlined Norway’s collaboration with the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to improve and sustain farming in Nigeria’s North East region.

Expressing the importance of making farming attractive for the youth in both Nigeria and Norway, Baera urged a shift from “agri-culture” to “agri-business.” Mechanization, he stated, would play a crucial role in Nigeria’s agricultural revolution.

Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, represented by A. M Adebiyi, the director of the agribusiness and marketing department, addressed challenges in the sector. Kyari identified inadequate funding, unstable market prices, and multiple taxation as hurdles, emphasizing the need for partnerships in capacity building, technology transfer, training, and investment.

Jafar Umar, the Director General of Nigeria Agribusiness Group, underscored the importance of increased mechanization in Nigerian farming. With approximately 80% of farmers engaged in small-scale farming, Umar called for a reexamination of the business and financing model to enhance affordability.