The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, (FMAFS), has inaugurated an Agribusiness Incubation Centre in Kogi State to boost food production, capacity building, quality control and achieve food and nutrition security in the country.
The event which took place at the Federal University Lokoja (FUL), Kogi State, recently was in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda which focuses on Agriculture and Food Security as a top priority.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Ernest Afolabi Umakhihe who performed the inauguration ceremony, said that the incubation centre was established as a Special Centre of Excellence to support the effort to achieve food security in Nigeria, youth and women empowerment, promote employment generation and wealth creation as well as poverty reduction.
Dr Umakhihe stated that the project was aimed at facilitating and attracting investments into the agricultural sector, ensure sustainability of agri-based businesses, increase domestic food production and exports.
He added that the centre would serve as a practical knowledge hub where practical skills, processes, and inputs are acquired on particular commodities.
He pointed out that the Centre was equipped to provide business basics through comprehensive training programmes along commodity value chains and business start-ups, including access to bank loans and other funds guarantee programmes.
Umakhihe noted that farmers would adapt new technologies and innovations across the segments of commodities enterprise/value chain of production, processing, storage and marketing.
Speaking further, he emphasized that the centre would support market research, linkage to strategic partners, access to investors and the development of business plans and business networking.
He lauded the support and cooperation of the Vice Chancellor and management staff of FUL for the successful completion of the
In his remarks, the FUL Vice Chancellor, Prof. Olayemi Akinwumi pledged to ensure that the institution made good use of the opportunity to train the students, to become big time agriculturalists that would contribute to the nation’s food production.
Highlight of the event was the official handling over the Incubation Centre to the Vice Chancellor of FUL, lokoja by the Permanent Secretary, (FMAFS).
In attendance were the Directors, FMAFS, Management and Staff of FUL, Developmental Partners, among others.