FIIRO, NIRSAL, PTDF push for agric value chain devt under new pact

THREE federal institutions are currently working on a collaborative effort aimed at enhancing growth in the agricultural value chain in the country. Specifically, the Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi (FIIRO), Nigeria Incentive-based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL), an arm of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) are hopeful that the tripar- tite agreement will not only have a development push on the agric sector, but also bring forth joint programmes using indigenous technologies to diversify the economy, create new jobs, improve the national GDP and the general socio-economic wellbeing of the country.

Speaking during a courtesy visit by the chief executives of NIRSAL and PTDF to her office recently in Lagos, the DirectorGeneral of FIIRO Prof. (Mrs) Gloria Elemo said that the most beneficial effort of the partnership would be to enhance the agricultural value chain. “I would like to say that the most beneficial objective of this partnership would be partnership that brings agricultural value chains development to the fore, most especially enhancement of the value chains where Nigeria has upmost comparative advantage”, Elemo stressed. FIIRO boss disclosed her desire for the agreement to target development of value chains where the country has comparative advantage such as rice, cashew and cassava, where the institute has the competency to fabricate and install processing machinery and equipment at micro, small, medium as well as rendering technical consultancy services to large scale enterprises in these value chains.