The project will not only strengthen fertiliser supply in Nigeria but also train farmers in proper fertiliser use and other agricultural best practices
Image: Officials of AfDB, AFFM and FMARD at the discussion. (Credit: African Development Bank.)
The Africa Fertilizer Financing Mechanism (AFFM) has begun a $2.2m project which will provide fertiliser suppliers in Nigeria with financial support to improve supply for 200,000 smallholder farmers.
As a trade credit guarantee project, it is AFFM’s first in the West African nation and will involve 10 fertiliser suppliers, 12 hub agro-dealers and 120 retail agro-dealers. Under the project, farmers will also be trained in proper fertiliser use and other agricultural best practices.
The project was launched on 3 March 2020 in Abuja and was attended by African Development Bank (AfDB) Nigeria Regional Office senior director Ebrima Faal and government and industry partners.
The project will be implemented by AFFM’s local partner AFAP
The participants discussed the project and its implementation with the Africa Fertilizer and Agribusiness Partnership (AFAP), a local partner of AFFM.
AFAP representative Nana-Aisha Mohammed said: “We will leverage on existing networks and look for creative solutions to increase the availability of fertilizer in the country.”
The Nigerian Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) Farm Inputs Support Services Department Umar Musa stated that AFAP should work with the Nigerian government and other actors in the fertiliser value chain to make sure that the project complies with the country’s policies and sector strategies.
Musa continued saying: “We expect this project to support smallholder farmers and improve their productivity in order to help the country increase its local production and consumption of fertiliser.”
AFFM Coordinator Marie Claire Kalihangabo said: “We are confident that the project will increase access to quality and affordable fertiliser by smallholder farmers and hence contribute to the transformation of the agriculture sector in Nigeria.”
In November 2019, AfDB, Credit Suisse and the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China signed an agreement to provide Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) with a loan of $600m to boost cocoa production in the country.