Pandagric Seeks to Redefine Agriculture, Boost Food Security

 

James Emejo in Abuja

Integrated feed and food manufacturing company, Pandagric Novum, has reiterated its vision to contribute to complementing Nigeria’s food security objectives and strengthening the agriculture value chain through an integrated approach.

The company’s Managing Director, Mr. Bruce Spain, at a joint media briefing alongside the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) in Abuja, said it would deploy its innovative farming practices, which have been developed to guarantee increased yields and food sufficiency.

Essentially, Pandagric is the flagship project under the NSIA and Signature Agri Investments Joint Venture signed in 2018 to establish an agriculture-focused fund for the development of large-scale integrated projects across Nigeria.

The project had also been developed as a platform for diversification and a path to enhancing the country’s protein consumption per capita.

Spain, however, said, “As a company, we have developed crop cultivation and management protocols for achieving the highest yields. We have invested heavily in testing and trials over the years and have discovered improved crop nutrition practices to get the best growth and yield results.”

The briefing is a prelude to the company’s official inauguration in Nasarawa State.

The commissioning is in conjunction with the NSIA which is the premier investment institution of the federation, and Signature Agri Investment, an investment portfolio agency based in The Netherlands.

The Managing Director/ Chief Executive, NSIA, Mr. Uche Orji, said agriculture remained a key focus sector for the authority and an important sector for the Nigerian economy with high potential for employment generation, poverty alleviation, and ultimately food security.

He said though the sector has largely been dominated by subsistence farming in the past, “the NSIA strongly believes that with improved modern methods, seedlings, and better weather forecasting methods, agricultural yields can continue to grow.”

The NSIA as an investment institution of the federal government has a mission to play a leading role in driving sustained economic development for the benefit of all Nigerians.