Nice one: FG launches programme to create millions of agro-industrial jobs for Nigerians

FCT, Abuja – Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN on Monday, October 24 launched the Special Agro-industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) in Nigeria, held at the ministry of foreign affairs, Abuja.

Prof. Osinbajo noted that the launch of the SAPZ programme heralded a “profoundly important moment in our agricultural odyssey.”

He said:

“If the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones programme delivers on its objectives and we have no doubt that it will, then we would in less than a decade deal a fatal blow to food insecurity, create millions of good paying agro-industrial jobs and opportunities and radically improve export earnings from agriculture.”

He said the programme was:

“A clear plan for the industrialization of agriculture, the deliberate development of value chains in the crops farmers grow and a pathway to net exportation of their produce.”

He added:

“The programme is now a critical component of our agricultural strategy, which is to accelerate the industrialization of our agricultural sector with the objective of being ahead of our constraints in providing food, nutrition and wealth for the largest population in our continent.

“The SAPZ programme is a government-enabled and private sector-led initiative that will to mobilize private sector investment to develop value chains for selected strategic crops and livestock in the participating states.

“Nigeria will implement the first phase of the SAPZ programme with co-financing from the African Development Bank, the International Fund for Agricultural Development and the Islamic Development Bank.”

The vice president, who noted that the SAPZ programme was recently approved by the federal executive council, stated that the programme is a major cross-cutting value chain investment effort driven by the federal ministry of agriculture and rural development.

He further said it is in alignment with the National Agricultural Technology and Innovation Policy of the federal government to incentivise agro-industrialization for private sector development.