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By Chinyere Anyanwu
In a bid to take practical actions and share lessons that will move African agriculture forward, the Agribusiness Dealroom of the Africa Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) Summit 2021 has been officially launched in Abuja.
This came against the backdrop of the UN Food Systems Summit (UN FSS) in New York where world leaders convene to review the progress towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), notably the eradication of hunger and poverty.
The workshop, which is titled, “Strengthening and Sustaining Resilient Food Systems in Nigeria”, will bring together leaders from various agricultural organisations, private sector companies and farmer groups to share ideas, initiatives and investments for the trans- formation of Africa’s food systems.
Minister of Trade and Investment, Otunba Niyi Adebayo, while speaking at the launch, expressed the commitment of the ministry towards participating fully in the 2021 AGRF Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, with the theme, “Pathways to Recovery and Resilient Food Systems.”
Represented by his Special Assistant, Collins Omokaro, Adebayo said Nigeria is very open for business, adding that the ministry is presenting opportunities in the palm oil and cassava subsectors.
He said, “there are also many opportunities for Micro, Small and Mediumsized Enterprises (MSMEs) to participate in the Deal- room, which could introduce them to assets for the growth of their business.”
The Agribusiness Deal- room Lead at the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), Mumbi Maina, charged investors to engage so as to capitalise on opportunities in the Dealroom.
Also, Country Director, Heifer International Nigeria, Rufus Idris, said events such as the AGRF Summit and its Agribusiness Dealroom are important for bridging the gaps in Africa’s food systems.
“We need SMEs to come up with ideas that will make agriculture more productive and more competitive. The government can help by developing policies and infra- structure that make the cost of production competitive,” he said.
Furthermore, a Senior Manager at Sahel Consulting, Agbara Chinedu, said, “as an SME, you need to understand and target your pitch to the kind of investor you want. Next is for you to prepare a pitch deck that should be straightforward and simple, and must include the problem being addressed, its solution, size of the market, your team and track record.
The AGRF is the premier forum for African agriculture, bringing together stakeholders in the agricultural landscape to take practical actions and share lessons that will move African agriculture forward.
