AFOS-NIG INGO, a German NGO, has organised a nine-day exposure visit to Germany for its development partner-institutions as well as other stakeholders within the Nigerian agricultural sector.
This is contained in a statement issued on Monday by the Foundation’s Chief Executive Officer and Country Representative, Mr. Oladipupo Akoni.
AFOS is an NGO providing technical support to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and agribusiness owners in Nigeria. It facilitated the trip to Germany in collaboration with the Microfinance Agricultural Learning and Development Centre, its programme implementation partner in Nigeria.
According to him, the learning and exchange programme is an initiative of the foundation to enhance and improve its interventions to drive sustainable development in the agricultural sector.
He said: “This exposure visit to Germany is the 3rd of its kind.
“It will be a learning experience for the Nigerian agriculture industry, as delegates will be exposed to knowledge exchange and an opportunity for stakeholders to establish relationships for future collaboration and partnership.”
Akoni maintained that the objective of the programme was to expose Nigerian practitioners to modern agricultural practices, new technology and innovations in agricultural TVET, and to further facilitate linkages between Nigeria and the host country.
He further pointed out that the programme would involve visits to seven institutions in Germany’s agricultural sector to gain insights about TVET programmes and support through its chambers, loan programmes for agri-preneurs, organic farms and farmers association in Germany.
He listed the 17 delegates on the programme’s tour to Germany as including agro-allied companies, namely CHI Farms, Big Dutchman, Dayntee Farms, Animal Care Consult, and Obasanjo Farms.
According to the NGO’s leader, government stakeholders represented are the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) as well as private sector groups comprising the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture (NACCIMA).
Others are the Ogun State Council of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (OGUNCCIMA), the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN), and the Microfinance Agricultural Learning and Development Center (MLDC).
AFOS Foundation implemented capacity development programmes for the microfinance and agricultural sectors to improve the socio-economic situation of low-income families.
The NGO’s leader stressed that the programmes also helped to improve the performance of MSMEs in rural Nigeria and other emerging nations.
AFOS is funded by the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
