Bennett Oghifo
A group, JR Farms in partnership with the French Embassy in Nigeria recently Launched a digital platform to boost food trade between Nigeria and France.
Also in the partnership is Union Bank Plc.
The Food for Nations Digital Export Platform aims to streamline and digitize the export process for food producers, farmers, and exporters worldwide.
Food for Nations is a one stop platform designed to assemble, host, and connect cross-sectoral stakeholders across the agri-food value chain to facilitate food exports and imports.
These include food producers, off-takers, trade financiers, logistics and warehousing, standardisation partners, among other stakeholders.
The groundbreaking platform, which was launched at the Union Bank Headquarters in Lagos, promises to transform the landscape of global trade in the food industry.
The Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Attractiveness of France, Olivier Becht, who inaugurated the Food for Nations agri-food platform, said it marked a significant milestone in the collaboration between France and Nigeria in the agri-food sector, saying, “The food platform is the initiative we support.
“Let me make it clear that France warmly welcomes Nigeria. Fostering cooperation and trade. The platform is a testament to the immense potential for growth, as far as agribusiness relationships between both countries are concerned.
“France, renowned for its rich culinary heritage and technical expertise in the agri-food industry, recognizes the promising opportunities that lie in partnering with Nigeria.
“The Food for Nations digital trade platform is lauded as a catalyst for the development of robust bilateral relations in agribusiness.”
Becht expressed appreciation for the contributions of Nigerian entrepreneurs, stating the positive role being played by JR Farms’ Chief Executive Officer in energizing the agribusiness relationship between Nigeria and France.
He emphasized France’s eagerness to welcome agricultural investments which would reflect a commitment to strengthen ties and foster mutual benefits in the agriculture sector.
Representatives from various sectors, including agriculture, technology, finance, and government, gathered to witness the launch of this innovative digital platform.
The Chief Executive Officer, JR Farms, Mr. Olawale Rotimi Opeyemi said the Food for Nations would impact international trade positively.
“The platform we are unveiling today is the first of its kind in Nigeria. It is to connect Nigeria, Africa and the European Union,” Olawale said.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture, Miss Abisola, who made a presentation on ‘Reshaping Food System in Lagos’, said, “Organising our market is the way to go. We are focused on starting a three tier system around ensuring our food stability in Lagos, our coming in such a way and manner that will begin to drive standardization, would drive wholesomeness and also, we will begin to play a role to bringing prices, not necessarily bringing prices in a way that will disturb the market, but just in a way that when you are able to match the supply and demand and seasonality, you will have the right prices for the people.
“With the French, we have had several discussions, I have been to Rungis International Market,” making reference to the largest wholesale food market with over 10 billion euros annual worth in France, Miss. Abisola stated “this is the direction we have chosen to go as Lagos.
“We are building on the bank of what the French government has done and I want to believe that our partnership going forward will be solidified.
“We are doing so much about trying to attract young people. We have the Agric Scholars programme for the Primary and Secondary students. The idea around this is to set up school farms but not in a traditional way, rather in a three tier system. I am so glad to tell you that the students we have so far are amazing.
“They are already beginning to harvest, they are beginning to sell and it is drawing more interest within the ecosystem. We hope to draw in more people into the programme.”
She said, “The biggest challenge also stems around having a plan that regardless of the administration that comes into power, that administration should continue to be able to drive that national plan.”
She added, “for us in the Agric space, we have a development plan, apart from the 30 years plan, we also have a 5-year plan and going forward in 10 years, 15 years, a 20 years plan. The idea is to have a pathway, have a vision and regardless of who, regardless of what, that plan is what we will stick to.”
On the other hand, in addressing Food Export Opportunities and Investment across the nation, Ekiti State Commissioner for Investment and Trade, Mrs Omotayo Adeola, seeked for investors to boost the state’s presence in the international market. The agriculture and export strength and strategies that are being utilised largely in the South-west can not be overlooked..
“Ekiti State is endowed with fertile soil, making it suitable for the cultivation of a wide variety of crops, as well as the availability of natural dams for aquaculture, horticulture, and irrigation.
Our favorable climate supports year-round agricultural activities as we are straddled between the rainforest and the savannah biomes, providing a conducive environment for various crops and agricultural practices to flourish.
“The global demand for organic products is growing. Ekiti State’s conduceive environment makes it suitable for organic farming practices, offering opportunities for investors in this niche market,” the commissioner said.
She stated, “Ekiti State is known for its diverse range of agricultural products including crops like cocoa, yams, cassava, vegetables, honey, beans, rice, cashew, oil palm, mango, plantain, banana cocoyam, et-cetera.
“This diversity provides a broad base for potential food exports. Ekiti State’s agricultural products have the potential to meet International quality standards, making them suitable for export to contribute to foreign exchange earnings for both the State and Individual investors.”
According to her, “The current administration is doing a lot in ensuring that our agricultural produce has access to the market which will help us to reduce the post harvest losses. People have been producing, we are scaling up processing and we are scaling up access to the market so that people can have more money for their sweat. And what this “Food for Nations” platform does is that, it helps us as Nigerians that have produced to be able to have access to the European Union market, even the African Intercontinent Intertrade.
“I see us plugging in, taking advantage of the opportunities.
I am going to have a meeting with the Managing Director of Bureau Veritas for them to collaborate with us and probably even have an office in Ekiti, so that we can have standardization and certification of goods coming out of Ekiti for it to access the international market.”
